Internet-generated broadband traffic will increase approximately 50% year over year on fixed networks and double on mobile networks, according to new research from International Data Corporation (IDC).
The research firm predicts that end-user demand for worldwide wireline and mobile broadband traffic will increase from 9,665 petabytes per month in 2010 to 116,539 petabytes per month in 2015.
Web browsing, peer-to-peer file sharing, audio/video streaming and other applications are contributing to the exponentially growing bandwidth consumption.
IDC Consumer and SMB Telecom Services director Matt Davis said the enormous growth in end-user demand for both fixed and mobile broadband services is staggering.
"Despite enormous growth projected in IDC’s forecast, it is difficult to overestimate this phenomenon. Fixed and mobile operators will have to deal with a new reality that will tax network resources to the limit — and perhaps past the limit," said Davis.
IDC also see HD video content will drive a new level of bandwidth demand, with more than 50% of video and audio streaming aimed for a connected TV (either directly or indirectly), an iPad, or another mobile device or tablet.
It says in North America, the ratio between upstream and downstream traffic continues to be strongly represented by downstream traffic, typically at a 10:1 ratio in favour of downstream, but sometimes much more.
As Web browsing declines across the globe, despite more mobile Internet-enabled devices, there is a more pronounced decline in Europe and Asia/Pacific.
In order to ensure that this growth encourages new service usage and drives new subscriptions and revenue, service providers need to deliver more bandwidth, IDC says.
