Kiwis chewing through more data than ever before

Nationally, the average New Zealand home used about 234GB of broadband data in November this year compared with 172GB last year, showing more than a 35 percent increase. 234GB is the equivalent of watching nearly 80 hours of content on Netflix each month.

Porirua consumed the most internet data at an average of 274GB per household, while Waitomo saw a data increase of over 60 percent per household in the last 12 months. 

“Most homes across the country now have several connected devices going at any one time. With voice activated smart devices such as Google Home and Amazon’s Alexa now becoming commonplace, we’re using far more data and requiring faster, more dependable broadband speeds,” says Chorus Network Strategy Manager Kurt Rodgers.

“People’s viewing habits have shifted online and it’s no longer just down to Netflix. TVNZ now have online only, OnDemand content, while Freeview has just launched an industry-first device that brings free-to-air content onto a streaming platform.

“Freeview’s new streaming device integrates the offline and online worlds into one user interface. It’s a simple, small and tidy device that attaches magnetically to the back of your TV and removes the need for ugly aerials, coax cables and satellite dishes.

“And of course the gaming industry has recently boomed. In July we experienced the biggest ever data spike on our network due to New Zealanders downloading the latest version of Fortnite,” says Mr Rodgers.

New Zealand has already seen dramatic improvements in broadband thanks to the Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) fibre rollout and the Rural Broadband Initiative. Improvements have also been seen with updates to the broadband electronics across our copper network. 

“While fibre is the fastest form of broadband technology, for areas where it’s not yet available VDSL on our copper network provides a faster, more reliable service with less buffering than regular ADSL.”

“If VDSL is available at your address, we may be able to upgrade you without a technician visiting your place. VDSL is a great alternative where fibre isn’t an option now or in the future.”

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