Global Internet protocol (IP) traffic is expected to grow three-fold between 2012 and 2017, and reach 3.6 billion users, representing over 48% of the world’s projected population, according to a new report from Cisco.

The Cisco Visual Networking Index (VNI) Forecast revealed that the global IP traffic including fixed and mobile is anticipated to reach 1.4 zettabytes per year, which is more than a trillion gigabytes per year through 2017.

By 2017, the global IP traffic is forecast to reach 121 exabytes per month, reporting a rise from 44 exabytes per month in 2012.

Global network connections are anticipated to reach over 19 billion, up from about 12 billion connections in 2012, while the average fixed broadband speed would rise 3.5-fold through the forecast period from 11.3Mbps to 39Mbps.

Internet video users would reach two billion, up from one billion Internet video users in 2012, while the "Internet of Things" is expected to see substantial growth and impact global IP networks, the report added.

Global M2M connections are anticipated to grow three-fold from two billion in 2012 to six billion by 2017, with annual global M2M IP traffic increasing by 20-fold over the corresponding period to 3.9 exabytes by 2017 compared to 197 petabytes in 2012.

Major drivers of Internet protocol (IP) traffic include applications such as video surveillance, smart meters, asset/package tracking, chipped pets/livestock, digital health monitors and a host of other next-generation M2M services.

Asia-Pacific is expected to generate most internet traffic, while Middle East and Africa would continue to be the fastest growing IP traffic region, with US and China being the highest traffic-generating countries by the end of forecast period.

Peer-to-peer (P2P) traffic is expected to decline at a compound Annual Growth Rate of 9%, while other web based and other file sharing traffic would rise at a CAGR of 17%.

Global Business IP Traffic would capture 18% of monthly total global IP traffic, while business internet video traffic would represent a 5.3-fold through 2017, with the Internet video traffic growing 52%,