Aussies hungry for faster internet

New figures confirm Australia's demand for superfast broadband and the need for better fixed-line telecommunications infrastructure is growing.

The nation's appetite for 100 mbps broadband services has more than doubled over the past year, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics' (ABS) latest Internet Activity Australia Report.

"Today's figures demonstrate that Australians want the NBN and why connecting fibre directly to homes and businesses is the right choice," NBN Co's Chief Technology Officer Gary McLaren, said today.

"More people are downloading more and more data over fixed-line networks - you only have to look at the amount of videos, high resolution images, music, large documents and games people are downloading at home and in the office (including over Wi-Fi networks).

"The amount of high definition video being watched by Australians is expected to grow by more than ten times by 2020¹. So upgrading our fixed lines will be vital to keeping up with this ever-growing demand.

"The stats show that whether people are browsing on a tablet or watching YouTube on their smartphone, 92% of their downloads are via fixed line connections, even if they're using Wi-Fi," Mr McLaren said.

According to last week's OECD Internet Economy Outlook 2012², Australia lags behind 24 other countries - including Estonia and Turkey - for the use of fibre to the home or building as the preferred method of providing broadband.

The rollout of the NBN is well underway. Construction is forecast to have commenced or be complete for 3.5 million premises by mid-2015, in line with the three year rollout plan.

ENDS

MEDIA INQUIRIES:

Olivia Platt-Hepworth

Phone: 02 9213 2328

Mobile: 0481 169 550

Notes to Editors

The bi-annual report from the ABS entitled, Internet Activity, Australia, June 2012, looks at internet usage and the types of connections to which households are subscribing³. The key results from the statistics found:

• Superfast 100mbps broadband subscribers more than doubled in the past year, with the number of subscribers to a 100mbps or above broadband connection at June 2012 increasing 138% compared to June 2011.
• 92% of downloads are done via fixed line broadband connections, with a mere eight percent of downloads done over wireless broadband and mobile handsets
• Downloads over fixed line services are growing faster - 53 percent year on year - than over wireless, at 40 percent
• 1.5 million people now use an internet connection faster than the maximum speeds available on ADSL2+
• For more information visit www.nbnco.com.au

References:

1. IBISWorld, 2012, 'Australia's Digital Future to 2050'

2. The OECD Internet Economy Outlook 2012, published October 2012

3. Internet Activity, Australia, June 2012

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