Multi-device scenarios show modest increases in bandwidth usage and do not reflect increases in consumption that are strictly additive Most common applications also typically need more downstream bandwidth than upstream.Ģ. The Cartesian study confirms historical trends reflecting consumer usage that remains highly asymmetric as video streaming remains significantly popular. The biggest user of internet bandwidth is video streaming-more than half of total global traffic. Video conferencing applications use more upstream bandwidth than most other applications, but actual traffic ratios vary by application.ĭespite video conferencing using higher upstream bandwidth than other applications on a relative basis, it is still a small part of overall data usage of the internet on an absolute basis. Live games also require much more downstream than upstream bandwidth. These applications, which include Disney+ and Netflix, almost exclusively rely on downstream bandwidth, with the higher quality streaming options (e.g., UHD, 4K DTV) consuming the most bandwidth. Asymmetrical Bandwidth - Most common household applications use much more downstream than upstream bandwidthĭownstream traffic is comprised largely of video streaming. But no matter what the “new normal” will be, one certainty is the importance of a reliable and robust broadband connection.Īs we step back and assess how networks handled the pandemic surge in traffic, a new report by Cartesian, a consulting group with expertise in telecommunications, shines some light on how traffic flows over the network, how much bandwidth popular applications utilize, and how multi-person household needs vary depending on usage patterns.
As America climbs out of the COVID-19 pandemic, cable's broadband networks continue to prove their ability to handle unprecedented spikes in internet traffic-from the state lockdowns of last spring when more people than ever before connected online, to the present day as businesses and schools begin to experiment with new hybrid working models.