Internet Data Traffic Set to Quadruple by 2015

According to Cisco's Visual Networking Index for 2011 — a forecast of digital trends and online usage — the Internet is about to become a whole lot busier.

Global Internet data traffic has been growing steadily; yet demand for online video, file sharing, and other data intensive online applications are predicted to push total traffic to four times today's numbers in the next few years.

Broadband video and online TV content is expected to reach 965.6 Exabytes per year and account for 61% of all consumer Internet-usage. As online consumers turn to the Internet for their video and media needs, the demand will be on service providers to continue uninterrupted connectivity and fast downloads.

Over time, download speeds have been increasing, and the report expects that we will reach even higher benchmarks as Internet usage skyrockets:

"The average fixed broadband speed is expected to increase four-fold, from 7 megabits per second in 2010 to 28 Mbps in 2015. The average broadband speed has already doubled within the past year from 3.5 Mbps to 7 Mbps."

As the rest of the world races to bring new users to the web, with 40% of the world's population expected to be online by 2015, Americans need to ensure our networks can handle the broadband intensive demands of businesses, schools, and home users. As other countries invest in their broadband infrastructures, it is critical that the US lead the charge in the evolution of the web.

Cisco Predicts Massive Quadruple Jump in Global Internet Traffic by 2015 (ISPreview)