MUMBAI: There has been a palpable shift in data traffic and internet user behaviour since COVID-19 hit the globe, particularly in India, with all its public measures in the fight against the pandemic, according to leading carrier and data centre neutral internet exchange operator on the Indian sub-continent DE-CIX India.
DE-CIX India has seen an increase in overall data traffic of more than 20 per cent compared to the time before COVID-19 (end of February 2020). Also, with social distancing and the increasing adoption of the work-from-home system, networks are facing challenges, since the entire business internet traffic has shifted from business districts into residential areas. This increased the use of collaboration tools. Furthermore, online video streaming has increased by 120 per cent, and gaming by more than 80 per cent. Data traffic and internet usage during peak hours increased to new levels, with a 38 per cent increase in ISP traffic.
“People face the challenge to act almost 100 per cent online: private, business-wise, and regarding the education of children and students. In times when everyone has to practice social distancing and perhaps self-isolate, a direct connection to family, friends, and the company environment via the various private and business applications is essential. These applications and the exchange of data must run smoothly, so trust in technology is a big issue. DE-CIX ensures with its infrastructure that people can rely on the applications now required in the desired smooth and resilient quality. We make sure that even though we are physically locked, we are still digitally unlocked,” said DE-CIX International CEO Ivo Ivanov.
He further added: “Homes have turned into offices. The digital shift as a consequence of an increased demand for internet access and the related increase in data traffic now also makes evident the significance of digital infrastructures as the backbone of world economies. We are seeing the increase in capacities with the major global and regional internet and content providers. In some cases, the capacities have been more than doubled. Governments and businesses also need to support the implementation of reliable high bandwidth internet access with a proper framework and judicious investments to ensure the smooth functioning of digital business that currently drives the economy. This includes the deployment of better and bigger pipes to cover the demand arising out of the usage of digital applications – both private and business.”
DE-CIX India operates digital infrastructure with fibre optic cables, which ensures a secure, resilient and smooth interconnection between connected networks; it takes on the neutral role of a “data intermediary”. Through its four markets in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai, it provides direct interconnection ensuring that the quality of applications remains stable and internet service providers can thus guarantee the resilience of their networks and the provision of a high quality internet access for their users.
