Blog | Sandvine

Since the pandemic started, I have been deluged with inbound requests for updates on what has happened to video traffic during the shutdowns. Up until now, there has not really been an impact on the volume of video traffic overall, with one exception in a shift of content preferences. For the first time that I have seen in the Global Data, YouTube is above...

In a recent chat with one of my friends, I made reference to the toilet paper crisis of 2020, which for some is eclipsing the real crisis of 2020 – COVID-19.

With schools and offices closing, the nature of daytime internet usage in mobile and fixed broadband networks will change. The traffic and activities that would have taken place face-to-face or on networks in the schools, universities, and offices will move to the home.

I have been getting a lot of requests for data on what is happening worldwide with more people practicing social distancing, events being cancelled, and people working from home. Sandvine is in a unique position with our Global Internet Phenomena customer base to see what is happening and, more importantly for many people, what is GOING to happen.

Hey! Did you know that people like to watch videos on their phones? Well, according to the latest Mobile Internet Phenomena Report, people really, really, like mobile video. That isn't a surprise to any mobile operator in the world, but things have shifted over the past year.

If I told you that Facebook video has spiked in the last year, would you be surprised?

If I asked which brand has the largest traffic share on mobile, a few names come to mind. In the Global Internet Phenomena Report, we reported the traffic share of the six major brands on the internet is 43%. Are these brands the ones that dominate mobile traffic as well?

Mobile gaming has evolved from Facebook-oriented games like Farmville (remember that one!) to real-time strategy games like Game of War and Clash of Clans, to a new level of prominence now with the popularity of the Battle Royale and MOBA games. However, gaming today does not generate a lot of traffic (outside of downloads), so does gaming really matter for...

Messaging is a key component of the mobile experience for users – in the past, that was SMS. Now, it is some form of messaging application, often associated with a social network. And messaging is no longer just text – it's audio, video, and live streaming.

What if 5G networks were actually used as a fixed line replacement? Many operators (TMobile and Verizon among them) have announced that they will offer 5G modems for home use to compete with fixed line services with the higher throughput supported by 5G. Is building that network to deliver good QoE different than a normal mobile network?