NBN to help ease the impending data tsunami

The appetite of Australian families for fast broadband continues to grow, according to new figures out today.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reports the average fixed-line end-user broadband usage has increased by 46 per cent in the past year. The figures show Australians’ average broadband downloads grew from 36.0 GB per month in June 2013 to 51.7 GB per month in June 2014.

NBN Co’s network traffic report also shows growth in heavy internet usage with the average total data consumption per end-user on the National Broadband Network (NBN) now at a staggering 77.0 GB per month. This includes both 61.0 GB download and 16.0 GB upload usage.*

John Simon, NBN Co’s Chief Customer Officer said:

“Australia is now a nation of ‘iFamilies’ with an insatiable appetite for online content. The NBN will provide a fast and reliable broadband network to help ease the impending data tsunami brought on by the rapid growth in our internet usage.

“Our network trends show the improved speed and reliability of the NBN unlocks more value for consumers and small business. With access to services over the NBN, a household could have people simultaneously uploading videos of family and friends to social networking sites, downloading on-demand entertainment, while still working from home using cloud computing and multiline high-definition video collaboration applications.”**

There are now over a quarter of a million homes and businesses connected to the NBN across Australia. NBN Co is committed to ensuring all premises can access fast broadband over the NBN by 2020. 

Media enquiries:

Dan Chamberlain
M: 0400 569 951
E: danchamberlain@nbnco.com.au

NBN Co Media Hotline
P: 02 9927 4200
E: media@nbnco.com.au

Summary of ABS Internet Activity, Australia, June 2014 report:

• The average fixed line end-user broadband usage has increased by 43.6 per cent in the past year. The figures show our broadband usage has grown from 36.0 GB per month in June 2013 to 51.7 GB per month in June 2014.
• 93.1 percent of downloads are done via fixed line broadband connections (excluding dial-ups), with 6.9 per cent of downloads done over wireless broadband and mobile handsets.
• Downloads over fixed-line services are growing faster – 52.9 per cent year-on-year – than over wireless broadband, at 20.2 per cent.
• 2.03 million people now use an internet connection equal or faster than the maximum speeds available on ADSL2+ (24Mbps or greater).

Summary of NBN Co network traffic report*:

• The average total data usage (upload and download) per end-user on the NBN is 77.0 GB per month
• The average total download usage end-user on the NBN is 61.0 GB per month
• The average total upload usage end-user on the NBN is 16.0 GB per month
• The average wholesale download speed ordered is 34.0 Mbps

Today’s ABS figures follows  another report released this year which show Australia’s love affair with connected devices and online content continues to grow***:

• Half of Australian households forecast to own a Smart TV by 2018, enabling high quality content to be easily streamed over the internet. This adoption is expected to amplify the use of video streaming services like YouTube, and commercial and public catch up TV services.
• 80 per cent of current tablet usage is in the home. Tablet penetration is expected to grow with 80 per cent of the population predicted to own a tablet by 2018 – up from 46 per cent at the end of June 2014.
• Over the top pay TV subscriptions forecast increase threefold within four years’ time as new services come online.

Notes to editors:

*NBN Co averages are based on wholesale download speeds from Brownfields, New Developments and Fixed-Wireless services. Average data usage per end-user calculation based on a sample of services from leading Retail Service Providers (RSP) from 1 March - 30 June 2014.

**We’re designing the NBN to provide these speeds to our wholesale customers, telephone and internet service providers. End user experience including the speeds actually achieved over the NBN depends on the technology over which services are delivered to the premises and some factors outside our control like your equipment quality, software, broadband plans and how the end user’s service provider designs its network.

***Telsyte Digital Consumer Study 2014. The study is an annual survey of 1,000 Australians (16 years of age and older) that has analysed technology usage and preferences since 2008.