Nokia Deepfield identifies 2020 network traffic, internet consumption trends in new intelligence report

Press Release

Nokia Deepfield identifies 2020 network traffic, internet consumption trends in new intelligence report

• Implications for service providers and internet service delivery chain with significant growth in video streaming, gaming, video conferencing and DDoS
   
• Data recorded by service providers across Europe and North America from February to September shows 30% increase in video subscribers, 23% increase in VPN end-points in the U.S, 40-50% increase in DDoS traffic

17 November 2020

Espoo, Finland – Nokia Deepfield has today released its Network Intelligence Report, which examines service provider network traffic and consumption trends in 2020, revealing the networks were made to withstand the internet’s rollercoaster year. The report examines overall changes in internet traffic patterns in the last decade and in 2020, focusing on key application areas such as video streaming, video conferencing, gaming and Distributed Denials of Service (DDoS) security.

As COVID-19 lockdown measures were implemented in March-April 2020, consumer and business behavioral changes transformed the internet’s shape and how people use it virtually overnight. Many networks experienced a year’s worth of traffic growth (30-50%) in just a few weeks. By September, traffic had stabilized at 20-30% above pre-pandemic levels, with further seasonal growth to come. From February to September, there was a 30% increase in video subscribers, a 23% increase in VPN end-points in the U.S., and a 40-50% increase in DDoS traffic.

In the decade prior to the pandemic, the internet had already seen massive and transformative changes – both in service provider networks and in the evolved internet architectures for cloud content delivery. Investment during this time meant the networks were in good shape and mostly ready for COVID-19 when it arrived.

Manish Gulyani, General Manager and Head of Nokia Deepfield, said: “Never has so much demand been put on the networks so suddenly, or so unpredictably. With networks providing the underlying connectivity fabric for business and society to function as we shelter-in-place, there is a greater need than ever for holistic, multi-dimensional insights across networks, services, applications and end users. Nokia Deepfield’s software applications have allowed service providers to understand activity in their networks in these critical times. The data and insights we’ve drawn on for this report also show how continuity of service can be ensured to create value for their customers.”