OVBI: Internet Speeds and Data Consumption on the Rise

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The OpenVault Broadband Insights (OVBI) 2021 second-quarter report shows the percentage of subscribers with faster internet speeds is growing, and they are consuming much more data. During Q2 2021, the percentage of subscribers with 1 Gbps or faster service reached 10.5 percent compared with 4.8 percent provisioned for that speed in Q2 2020. On the other side of the spectrum, those with speeds of 100 Mbps or less fell from 39.9 percent to 20.1 percent during the same timeframe. OpenVault says that its analysis – based on data from millions of consumers – suggests that normal patterns are returning as the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic continues. However, these patterns are occurring with higher usage levels – a trend that OpenVault noted was underway before the pandemic, but also was accelerated by it. OpenVault suggests that consumption increases are planting the seeds for the continued adoption of faster speed tiers. According to the report, "the impact on the network is far-reaching and not driven by just a few subscribers or just by applications like streaming alone. Network operators will continue to be challenged to manage their networks as they strive to balance higher usage with better customer experiences.”


OVBI Report: Gigabit Subscribers and Terabyte Users Both Surpass 10% for the First Time