Video-driven IP traffic will account for 79% of all Internet traffic in 2018, with total IP traffic greater than traffic generated globally between 1984 and 2013.
In its Visual Networking Index Report, Cisco said nearly a million minutes of video content will cross the network each second by 2018, meaning it will take a person more than five million years to watch the amount of video that will cross global IP networks each month.
The networking firm said much of the growth would be driven by increased demand for video-on-demand services, as consumers access and share video content on any device.
"Today, we are firmly in the ‘Zettabyte Era’ and witnessing incredible innovations and shifts in the industry,W said Doug Webster, Cisco’s VP of products and marketing.
"The reality of the Internet of Everything (IoE), the increasing demand for network mobility, and the emergence of 4K video are among the key trends highlighted in this year’s forecast that represent significant opportunities for service providers today and in the immediate future."
Video adoption is also taking off in the enterprise as cloud and mobile devices make it easier and less expensive for organisations to leverage video and video conferencing technology.
The report also found that video streaming and IP broadcast of the World Cup is anticipated to generate 4.3 exabytes of Internet traffic, which is three times the amount of monthly traffic generated by host country Brazil.
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In the UK, there will be 484.4 million networked devices in 2018, up from 278.5 million in 2013, as internet video traffic accounts for 88% of business internet traffic in 2018, up from 56% in 2013.
Last month, Equinix, a data centre company, joined with British mobile operator EE to launch the Mobile Video Alliance (MVA) at the DTG Summit in efforts to improve the quality and sustainability of mobile video.
