Digital summer holidays to drive data demand

Number of internet-connected devices expected to increase by 14% in 2020 and data consumption set to spike by 70% on Boxing Day.

Smart tech devices are set to fill this year’s Christmas stockings and deck the halls this festive season, with the number of connected devices expected to grow in Australia from 186 million to 212 million in 2020.

Home entertainment is set to lead the sleigh this holiday season, with one in five Aussies anticipating smart speakers to take the pride of place in their homes. Other sought-after connected items this Christmas are wearables and smart appliances with smart appliances expected to make up 41 per cent of all appliance sale revenue by 2023.¹

With Christmas being prime entertaining time, household data consumption is expected to follow suit and spike this festive season, especially on Boxing Day. In addition to everyday data needs, Australian homes will need to cater to the data needs of visiting family and friends this summer, many of whom will arrive with connected devices in tow.

We expect data to surge this coming Boxing Day – the day the nbn™ broadband access network carries the most amount of traffic. Last Boxing Day the average amount of data consumed per household was 11.8GB which was a huge 69% increase on the daily average of 6.98GB per household.²

To help Aussies manage the extra load, NBN Co is providing Australians with practical tips to help get the most out of their in-home setup:

• Keep your modem front and central. Just like Rudolph, your Wi-Fi router/modem with blinking lights may not be the prettiest thing. But it does need to be in a central location, free from obstruction, to function at its best. Avoid hiding it behind a pillar, or placing it near interfering objects such as televisions, hot water systems and ovens. 
  
  
• One size doesn’t fit all. Choosing the right router can be like choosing the right present; you need to carefully consider the needs of who you’re buying for to avoid disappointment. Love gaming? Then purchase a gaming router that can handle the pace. Need strong Wi-Fi across the house? Then a wireless mesh router could be best for you. 
  
  
• Check your speed plan. To have yourself a speedy little Christmas, catch up with your retailer about your internet habits, and ask if your current speed plan over the nbn™ access network is fitting for your needs. Internet providers on the network have access to a range of different nbn™ wholesale products which they use to create and offer their own retail plans, and your plan should accommodate for; your internet habits, the number of devices in your home, and how many people will be online at once.
   

nbn Chief Technology Officer – Ray Owen, said: 

“Based on previous trends and coupled with smart tech becoming the new norm, we anticipate there will be more data consumed this Christmas than ever before."

“Ahead of the holidays, we want to work with retailers and the public to help optimise everyone’s in-home broadband setup, so they can focus on enjoying the festivities. There are a few factors that everyone can start checking on, that can impact their broadband experience – things like where the modem is placed, the number of devices connected, and their device software settings.” 
 

Telsyte, Managing Director, Foad Fadaghi, said:

“There is a clear growing interest among Australians in making their homes smarter with the average number of connected devices in Aussie households rising from 18 this year to 21 next year. Smart speakers are certainly leading the trend among smart devices, with 25% of Australian households currently owning smart speakers and that figure is expected to increase to over 40% by 2023.”