Data downloads continue to grow at a rapid pace in Australia according to a new report from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)
Between the June 2015 and June 2016 quarters, there was a 52 per cent increase in the amount of data downloaded - from 1.5 million to 2.2 million terabytes. Data downloads have doubled in the last two years.
Most of the data downloaded has occurred over fixed-line broadband connections; which made up 92% of the volume as at June 2016.
Downloads over handheld devices is also growing at a rapid clip; increasing 69 per cent between the June 2015 and June 2016 quarters.
The internet is continuing to play a vital role in the lives of Australians. In the six months to May 2016, 91 per cent of adult Australians had accessed the internet, and of that figure 68 per cent accessed it several times a day.
Of the estimated 1.74 million Australians without access to the internet at home, the main reasons were:
- 47% not having a need for it or not interested
- 14% think the internet is too complicated or don't know how to use it.
- 13% don't have a computer at home.
- 12% state the cost involved is a barrier
The nature and time spent on activities by the vast majority of Australians who are online is continuing to change, influenced to a substantial degree by video. The report states catch-up television and Subscriber Video On Demand (SVOD) watching is popular among 44 and 32 per cent of Australians respectively.
Australia's internet video traffic is forecast to jump from 488 petabytes per month to 1.5 exabytes per month in 2020. Consumer internet video traffic will account for 85 per cent of all consumer internet traffic by 2020, up from 76 per cent last year.
With the growth in popularity of video services and the bandwidth required, demand will continue to be strong for suitable connections for streaming video and unlimited broadband plans.
There were 35.26 million internet subscribers in Australia at June 2016, an increase of 4.5% since June 2015. While Australia's population is around 24 million, many Australians have multiple internet plan subscriptions.
The conventional landline and its use for accessing the internet is continuing to be an endangered species states the report.
Fixed-line telephone subscriptions were down four per cent and the amount of data downloaded via dialup dropped dramatically between June 2015 and June 2016 - from 49 gigabytes down to 29 gigabytes. 31 per cent of Australians have a mobile phone and no fixed-line telephone at home.
A number of Australian ISP's began ditching dialup plans last year.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority Communications Report 2015–16 can be downloaded here (PDF).
