Thursday 22nd April: New data from TalkTalk reveals that the nation took advantage of the relaxation of lockdown measures to get out and enjoy the reopening of shops, gyms, hairdressers, pubs and restaurants.
Coinciding with the easing of lockdown restrictions, TalkTalk saw a 13% drop in customer internet usage during the week of 12th April versus the week before.
With the pandemic accelerating a digital-first lifestyle, the recent drop in data usage is far from a return to pre-lockdown levels, with usage having increased by 40% on TalkTalk’s network last year. What’s clear is that peak bandwidth demand will only continue to grow as smart home devices and remote working all become commonplace in the home. Taking all of this into account TalkTalk expects peak network traffic to double by 2025.
This prediction is supported by data in TalkTalk’s quarterly Insight Insights Report, which offers a glimpse into Britain’s broadband habits. The latest report reveals that the number of connected devices per household rose 8% last year, while internet usage increased by a whopping 40%.
Phil Haslam, Chief Networks and Service Officer at TalkTalk, said: “Last week we welcomed back many freedoms we hadn’t had in England for several months – the ability to see friends at the pub, go shopping, eat out, go for a haircut or a workout. Combined with the Easter holidays and the good weather across much of the country, our customers clearly took advantage of that. However with hybrid working, online gaming and streaming continuing to require large amounts of data we expect peak network traffic to double by 2025.”