Imagine a digital highway where every second sees 15 million movies streamed—that's the staggering scale of today's global internet traffic, a torrent of data fueled by everything from your evening video call to the world's next viral sensation.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, global IP traffic averaged 3,300 exabytes per year
- Global IP traffic is projected to reach 5,300 exabytes annually by 2023
- From 2018 to 2023, global IP traffic grew at a CAGR of 22%
- Fixed broadband traffic globally averaged 250 Mbps peak in 2022
- Fixed networks carried 70% of global traffic in H1 2023
- Global fixed broadband subscriptions reached 1.4 billion in 2022
- Mobile data traffic reached 920 EB globally in 2022
- Mobile traffic share of total IP traffic 30% in 2023
- Global mobile subscriptions 8.6 billion in 2023
- Video streaming dominated 70% of fixed traffic in H1 2023
- Global video traffic 82% of all internet traffic by 2022
- Live video streaming 10% of video traffic in 2023
- North America fixed traffic 25% of global fixed in 2022
- Asia-Pacific generated 50% of global mobile traffic 2022
- Latin America internet traffic grew 35% YoY 2022
Global internet traffic is growing rapidly and is dominated by video streaming.
Content Types
- Video streaming dominated 70% of fixed traffic in H1 2023
- Global video traffic 82% of all internet traffic by 2022
- Live video streaming 10% of video traffic in 2023
- YouTube alone 11% of global peak traffic 2022
- Gaming traffic 8% of fixed and 12% of mobile globally 2023
- Social media traffic 7% of total internet traffic H1 2023
- HTTP media (video/audio) 55% downstream fixed 2023
- Web traffic (HTTPS) 6% of global fixed traffic 2023
- P2P traffic 1.2% of total global traffic in 2023
- Cloud gaming traffic doubled YoY to 2% in 2023
- Email traffic negligible under 0.5% globally 2023
- VPN traffic 5% during peak hours 2023
- Audio streaming 3% of total traffic in fixed nets 2023
- Netflix peak usage 15% of North America traffic 2022
- TikTok video short-form 4% global mobile traffic 2023
- Real-time gaming 16% of gaming traffic peak 2023
- Encrypted traffic 95% of total global traffic 2023
- File sharing P2P 0.8% fixed downstream 2023
- Marketplaces/eCommerce 2% of web traffic 2023
- Voice over IP 1% of total traffic globally 2023
Content Types Interpretation
In our surprisingly earnest digital lives, we have collectively decided that the internet is essentially a colossal, encrypted television, occasionally interrupted by someone trying to sell you something or yelling into their headset during a game.
Fixed Broadband
- Fixed broadband traffic globally averaged 250 Mbps peak in 2022
- Fixed networks carried 70% of global traffic in H1 2023
- Global fixed broadband subscriptions reached 1.4 billion in 2022
- Fixed traffic grew 18% YoY in North America fixed networks 2023
- Average fixed broadband speed globally 80 Mbps in Q2 2023
- Fixed IP traffic in Europe was 1 ZB annually in 2022
- DOCSIS fixed networks handled 40% of fixed traffic in 2022
- Global fixed traffic peak reached 80 Tbps in 2022
- FTTH fixed connections grew 15% globally in 2022
- Fixed broadband traffic 60% video dominated in 2023
- Cable fixed traffic averaged 150 GB/user/month globally 2022
- DSL fixed traffic declined 10% YoY globally in 2022
- Fixed traffic in Asia-Pacific reached 1.2 ZB in 2022
- Global fixed busy hour usage 15% of daily fixed traffic
- EPON fixed networks carried 20% of fixed traffic 2022
- Fixed broadband penetration 70% in developed countries 2023
- Fixed traffic growth projected 12% CAGR to 2027
- Global fixed median download speed 100 Mbps Q3 2023
- Fixed upstream traffic 5% of total fixed in 2022
- Fixed gaming traffic 10% of fixed broadband 2023
- Fixed P2P traffic under 2% globally in fixed nets 2023
- Fixed web traffic 8% of fixed total in H1 2023
Fixed Broadband Interpretation
Despite the dizzying, video-fueled gigabytes streaming through our pipes, the internet's backbone is stoically carrying the load, proving that while we may live for the peaks, the fixed network is built for the grind.
Global Totals and Growth
- In 2022, global IP traffic averaged 3,300 exabytes per year
- Global IP traffic is projected to reach 5,300 exabytes annually by 2023
- From 2018 to 2023, global IP traffic grew at a CAGR of 22%
- In 2022, peak global IP traffic hit 122 Tbps
- Global internet traffic increased by 25% year-over-year in Q4 2022
- Busy hour traffic accounted for 12% of daily global traffic in 2022
- Global IP traffic reached 2.5 ZB in 2021
- By 2023, global traffic is expected to triple from 2018 levels
- In 2020, global pandemic drove 30% traffic surge
- Average global traffic per capita was 52 GB per month in 2022
- Global traffic during busy hour grew 50% from 2018-2022
- Wired traffic comprised 65% of global IP traffic in 2022
- Global IP traffic forecast to 7.3 ZB by 2025
- In Q1 2023, global traffic volumes rose 15% QoQ
- Global internet users generated 4.66 ZB of traffic in 2022
- Traffic growth slowed to 10% YoY in 2023 from 25% in 2022
- Global peak traffic reached 200 Tbps in late 2022
- Annual global data creation expected 181 ZB by 2025 including traffic
- Global IP traffic was 1.5 ZB in 2017
- By 2022, global traffic per connection averaged 1.5 GB/hour during peak
- Global internet traffic doubled every 3 years historically
- In 2023, global fixed traffic hit 3 ZB annually
- Traffic from managed IP grew 20% YoY globally in 2022
- Global consumer traffic was 80% of total IP traffic in 2022
- Business IP traffic globally reached 1 ZB in 2022
- Global traffic during COVID peaked at 40% above baseline
- Projected 2024 global IP traffic: 6 ZB
- Global internet traffic grew 28% in 2021 due to streaming
- Average daily global traffic exceeded 100 EB in 2023
- Global IP traffic CAGR 2017-2022 was 24%
Global Totals and Growth Interpretation
The internet's arteries are now so clogged with our collective digital gluttony that we've gone from merely binge-watching to creating a perpetual, planet-scale data rush hour that grows faster than our ability to even name the astronomical units measuring it.
Mobile Traffic
- Mobile data traffic reached 920 EB globally in 2022
- Mobile traffic share of total IP traffic 30% in 2023
- Global mobile subscriptions 8.6 billion in 2023
- Mobile traffic grew 25% YoY in 2022
- Smartphone traffic 85% of total mobile traffic 2022
- Average mobile data usage per smartphone 15 GB/month 2023
- 5G mobile traffic 20% of mobile total in 2023
- Mobile video traffic 65% of mobile data in 2022
- Global mobile peak traffic 25 Tbps in 2022
- Mobile traffic in Sub-Saharan Africa grew 40% YoY 2022
- LTE carried 70% of mobile traffic in 2023
- Mobile IoT traffic 5 EB annually in 2022
- Average 5G speed 250 Mbps globally Q3 2023
- Mobile traffic per capita 10 GB/month developing regions 2023
- Wi-Fi offload 60% of mobile traffic globally 2022
- Mobile social media traffic 25% of mobile in 2023
- Global mobile data ARPU $2.50 in 2023
- Mobile traffic forecast 2,700 EB by 2023
- M2M mobile connections 1.7 billion in 2023
- Mobile upstream traffic 10% of mobile total 2023
- Mobile gaming 15% of mobile traffic H1 2023
- Mobile file sharing under 1% of traffic 2023
Mobile Traffic Interpretation
We are drowning in a sea of our own cat videos and status updates, as our collective mobile thirst now consumes nearly a thousand exabytes a year, proving that humanity's primary mission is to stay relentlessly connected and thoroughly entertained.
Peak Usage and Trends
- Peak evening traffic 7-11 PM global average 2023
- Global busy hour 10% of 24-hour traffic in 2022
- Weekend traffic peaks 20% higher than weekdays 2023
- DDoS attacks peaked at 3.8 Tbps global record 2023
- IoT traffic 6% of global by 2022
- Nighttime off-peak traffic 50% lower than peak 2023
- Global traffic diurnal pattern peaks 8 PM UTC avg
- Bot traffic 40% of all web traffic globally 2023
- IPv6 traffic share 40% global in 2023
- Ransomware traffic spikes during peak hours 2023
- Global CDN traffic 70% of total routed 2023
- Seasonal peaks during holidays 30% above avg 2022
- Edge computing reduced peak latency 50 ms global 2023
- Traffic asymmetry downstream 90% vs upstream 10% peak
- Metaverse/VR traffic nascent 0.1% but growing 2023
- Global average peak hour utilization 60% of capacity 2023
- Work-from-home shifted peaks earlier by 1 hour 2022
- Sports events cause 50% traffic spikes locally 2023
- AI-generated traffic emerging 1% in data centers 2023
- Global traffic volatility index 15% daily variation 2023
Peak Usage and Trends Interpretation
The internet's nightly rush hour, flooded by bots and vulnerable to attack, reveals a global society addicted to streaming and shopping, whose habits now shape—and strain—the very architecture of our digital world.
Regional Distribution
- North America fixed traffic 25% of global fixed in 2022
- Asia-Pacific generated 50% of global mobile traffic 2022
- Latin America internet traffic grew 35% YoY 2022
- Middle East mobile traffic 20 EB annually 2022
- Europe fixed broadband traffic 800 EB in 2022
- Africa internet penetration drove 50% traffic growth 2022
- China alone 30% of global IP traffic in 2023
- US peak traffic 40 Tbps national in 2022
- India mobile traffic 300 EB yearly 2023
- Western Europe video 80% of traffic 2023
- Sub-Saharan Africa mobile data usage doubled 2020-2023
- Brazil fixed traffic growth 28% YoY 2022
- Japan average speed highest globally 200 Mbps fixed 2023
- MENA region P2P traffic 5% higher than global avg 2023
- Australia/NZ gaming 15% of traffic 2023
- Russia fixed traffic 200 EB annually 2022
- Southeast Asia social media 12% mobile traffic 2023
- Canada peak hour traffic 18% of daily 2023
- South Asia mobile subscriptions 2.5 billion 2023
- Germany fixed speeds avg 120 Mbps Q3 2023
Regional Distribution Interpretation
The world's internet pulse reveals that while North America remains the established anchor, Asia-Pacific is the mobile heart pumping data furiously, Latin America is the sprinter catching up, and everywhere else is either streaming, scrolling, or gaming their way to a future where one's national peak traffic is a point of pride and a video buffer the ultimate indignity.
Sources & References
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