Playford residents are Australia’s biggest nbn data users

It has been revealed that residents in the City of Playford in Adelaide are the biggest users of data¹ using services over the nbn^® network in Australia.

nbn data has shown the key nbn network internet download trends in Q1 this year, including the top ten Local Government Areas in Australia using the highest amount of data to support activities like gaming, streaming and working from home – highlighting the demand for data and the need for customers to check they are on the right plan.²

Data hungry customers in the City of Playford in Adelaide took the top spot in the country, using an average of 562 gigabytes (GB) in March 2023 – the national average in 2023 so far is 445 GB in a month.

562 GB is the equivalent of streaming Netflix in HD for 250 hours, or 833 hours of video conference calls for work.

Other Local Government Areas in Australia that made the top ten include Logan (QLD), Kwinana (WA), Port Hedland (WA), Blacktown (NSW), Ipswich (QLD), Melton (VIC), Serpentine-Jarrahdale (WA) and Liverpool (NSW).

Jane McNamara, nbn Customer Experience Expert, said the nbn network carries 87 per cent of our country’s download data.

“Customers in Australia are consuming more data than ever to do the things they love like streaming 4K on multiple devices, online education and next level gaming, or conference calls and uploading and downloading large files for work²,” Ms McNamara said.

“It’s more important than ever to have an internet plan that suits your needs, but two out of every three nbn customers haven’t changed their nbn network internet plan provided by their retail service provider over the past three years³.

“Technology has advanced, data use on the nbn network has tripled in six years – but has your plan kept up? We encourage customers to check with their internet provider to see if the plan they are using has enough speed and data inclusions.

“It is exciting to see locations from all around the country using large amounts of data including some areas that are eligible for fibre upgrades⁴, like parts of the City of Salisbury, City of Blacktown and City of Melton, where nbn anticipated demand would grow.

“The need for broadband will reach levels never seen before over the next decade as the internet transforms the world and how we live, so we are growing the network to stay ahead of that demand.

“Western Australia saw the highest growth in data usage in February 2023 compared to the same period last year than any other state – data usage grew by almost 12 per cent.”

“What is even more exciting to see is in March this year, more than 691,000 people nationally downloaded over one terabit of data over the nbn network – that is more than one thousand GB – and that has grown by more than 10 per cent compared to the same month last year.

“The average household now has around 21 connected devices and with that number growing year on year, it is important for customers to check they are on the right plan to support their growing data needs now and into the future.

“A higher speed internet plan like nbn^® Home fast can support multiple devices running at the same time and still maintain a great home experience.

“We also encourage customers to check that their modem is still supporting their needs as technology advances and demand for speed and data grows. Devices like a Wi-Fi extender or mesh system can boost your internet signal and improve your experience.

“To help Australians keep up with technology, we have upgrade programs that customers can take advantage of, like nbn’s fibre upgrades or nbn^® Fixed Wireless and satellite upgrade programs, which enable customers to access faster and more reliable speeds.

“Customers can visit nbn.com.au/morespeed for more information.”

Disclaimer

¹ Internal nbn network data. nbn data from January – March 2023 includes all downstream nbn fixed-line, nbn Fixed Wireless and nbn Sky Muster Satellite TC4 services and excludes nbn^® Enterprise Ethernet. The top locations using the most data is based on the highest average data download usage in a Local Government Area in March 2023.

² An end customer’s experience, including the speeds actually achieved over the nbn network, depends on the nbn access network technology and configuration over which services are delivered to their premises, whether they are using the internet during the busy period, and some factors outside of nbn’s control (like their equipment quality, software, chosen broadband plan, signal reception, or how their provider designs its network).

³ Survey commissioned by nbn through The Behavioural Architects. Fieldwork 1st March – 11th March 2023. Data has been weighted to ABS statistics. Data has been calibrated to reduce overestimation.

⁴ Conditions, eligibility criteria and costs will apply – please speak with your preferred provider. Eligibility criteria includes, among other things, being designated by nbn as a simple premises and placing an order for an nbn powered plan based on an eligible wholesale speed tier. Additional costs may apply to providers, who may choose to pass this charge onto their customers. Not all providers offer plans based on the full range of wholesale speed tiers. Talk to your preferred provider for more information about availability and the right solution for your needs.

For more information, visit www.nbn.com.au