WATERLOO, ON – Mobile devices like tablets and smartphones on fixed Wi-Fi networks now account for almost 30% of North American fixed access traffic, up from just 9% five years ago, according to data from Sandvine.
In its new Global Internet Phenomena Spotlight: Inside the Connected Home report, Sandvine found that the average household now has over seven active devices in use each day, with 6% of households having more than 15 active devices.
Other highlights from the report include:
– Laptop and desktop PCs now account for less than 25% of total traffic on fixed access networks;
– On PlayStation 4 consoles, game play traffic is only responsible for 2.5% of the total traffic that device generates. Video streaming (65%), e.g., using the device to access Netflix, and game downloads (25%) make up the majority of their bandwidth consumption;
– In the United States, PCs were responsible for 61% of Olympic streaming traffic on a typical day. Roku devices (10%), were the set-top box of choice, beating Amazon Fire TV (3.9%) and Apple TV (3.3%);
– On one network, the top consuming Netflix device (over 12%) was not a game console or web browser, but the operator's branded television set-top box that allows OTT applications.
"The ability to understand what is happening within the connected home is valuable data that communications service providers can use to ensure they are providing their subscribers with the best possible experience", said Sandvine CTO Don Bowman, in the report’s news release.
The report is based on data from a small selection of Sandvine's fixed communications service provider customers in North America.
