Internet users are using more bandwidth than they’ve ever used before!

“If I could just work from home,” or “If I could just relax and watch TV today,” hasn’t crossed anyone’s mind as they get ready for work. Many individuals around the nation now have the chance to put these statements into practice. Unfortunately, it came as a result of a worldwide epidemic. But circumstances have brought it to the attention of many people. These people are using their xfinity internet plans in my area like never before now that they are either remote employees or sheltering in place. Internet users are using more bandwidth than they have ever done before. It makes you question whether internet service providers can handle such high network traffic. Is it possible that this exponential increase in usage will lead to a colossal failure, and the Internet as a whole will crash?

The Internet has its pandemic

ComScore performed research on in-home data consumption from March 1 to 17, 2019, and compared it to the same period in 2020. The findings revealed a significant rise in data use, with an overall increase of 18%. It’s broken down like this:

1. Twenty-seven percent use a connected TV, 12 percent use a gaming console and 34 percent use smartphones.
2. 30% discount on smart speakers
3. Tablet – 12 percent Streaming Box/Stick – 24 percent
4. After the research was completed, ComScore became inquisitive and conducted a quick three-day study the following week on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. From then, the numbers skyrocketed. Employees being instructed to work from home for their safety from COVID-19, children being homeschooled owing to the closure of all schools throughout the country, and people sheltering in place with nothing else to do except stream are all contributing to this internet growth trend.

The Person Who Works From Home

There are now three sorts of employees due to the severity of COVID-19. Those who continue to work as “essential workers,” those laid off, and those who now work from home. This personnel works from their laptops, tablets, and phones, and they demand a stable internet connection to do their tasks.

The Homeschooled Student

Schools began to offer our curriculum to pupils through distance learning to prevent youngsters from falling behind in their academics. Parents could complete homework online by logging onto the school district’s website. Some of these assignments involved watching a movie or looking at photographs. Teachers may also request that students take images of their work, upload them, and submit them to the teacher through the online platform. This effort, compounded by the number of pupils globally, places further strain on an already overburdened global network.

The Ordinary Streamer

This leads us to the ordinary streamer, who is the cause of the international network’s stress. Television is the only choice for many individuals stuck at home with nothing else to do. Streaming has never been more popular. Given that streaming accounted for 60% of all internet traffic in 2019, one can only guess what those statistics are now. (71 percent, based on an 18 percent rise in ComScore) As you may have anticipated, Netflix, YouTube, and Facebook are the top three greatest offenders. Microsoft (Xbox/Skype), Apple (iTunes/Facetime), and Amazon account for 43% of all internet traffic.

With so much traffic on the internet superhighway, it’s surprising that there aren’t more backups, crashes, or detours. How is this feasible, though? How are millions of people on the same highways simultaneously, and everything is OK, or is it?

What are Networks Doing to Deal with Excess Bandwidth?

Internet service providers prepare for surges in traffic. They recognize that there will be moments when millions of people will all get on simultaneously for a more extended period than usual. The Super Bowl, for example, has a high that lasts just a few minutes before it fades away. With the COVID-19 event, the peak remains high and is not declining; in fact, it is increasing. This raises several problems. Is there adequate bandwidth for everyone to use for an extended period? While there has been no reaction in the United States, internet service providers in the United States are keeping a close watch on the global response to the epidemic. High bandwidth use has already prompted a reaction in Europe.

Our European allies have taken two steps:

Throttling Streaming Quality: To relieve internet congestion, the European Union demanded that Netflix and Amazon Prime set their streaming quality to standard by default. Apple TV+ and YouTube were quick to follow suit.
Throttling Bandwidth Utilization: Netflix and YouTube voluntarily lowered bandwidth usage in addition to quality. This action might lead to prioritizing specific services at certain times of the day in the future.
While the United States has yet to put these safeguards in place, it keeps a careful eye on domestic use. However, internet service providers in the United States have been active. However, their measures have served to liberate rather than limit consumers’ access to the Internet.

Removal of Data Caps: Users will utilize more data without incurring additional costs to exceed their package restrictions.
Wi-Fi Hotspots: Wireless companies have opened or enhanced the bandwidth limitations of their Wi-Fi hotspots for free to customers and non-customers.
Upgrade of Care: ISPs such as Comlink Bundle have upgraded their customers to higher tiers to compensate for speed and usage limitations and offer exceptional customer service.

How Can Users Make Up for Excessive Bandwidth Usage?

To get past this internet bandwidth use snafu, a user needs three things: speed, dependability, and no constraints.

One thing to remember about speed is that it has to travel both ways. An internet service provider may offer a high download speed. Still, unless the upload speed is identical, known as symmetrical rates, your streaming will be plagued by buffering difficulties. Video streaming, conference calling, and gaming will suffer as a result, mainly if several users in the house are linked to the same network.

Another challenge is maintaining connectivity. The number of “hops” between the provider of service and your home connection determines this. The better the link, the fewer hops there are. It’s similar to a highway. The fewer stoplights you pass through, the faster you will get to your destination, and you are less likely to become disconnected.

Limits, sometimes known as Data Caps, are a kind of restriction. Some internet providers have to use limitations and charge you if you exceed them; others will throttle or slow down your speed after your allotment has been surpassed.

You’ll discover that many businesses can provide one or two of these services, but few can provide all three. Users want a reliable connection that can provide all three demands as they adapt to their new temporary usual way of life during this period of uncertainty.

The Bandwidth Usage Solution, Comlink Bundle

If you’re one of the many people who now use their dining table as a home office or school, or if you’re a Disney+ or Netflix member, you’ll need a solid internet connection in this era of social isolation and sheltering in place. If you reside in one of our linked multi-housing communities, Comlink Bundle is the solution to your streaming worries when internet users consume too much bandwidth and pay for it.

Our network, Comlink Bundle, is unusual because it is constructed on dedicated lines. Unlike other carriers, we don’t have to deal with shared access points. Our clients have access to a super-fast fixed wireless connection that can reach rates of up to 1GiGx1GiG (symmetrical). This ensures a smooth, reliable connection and eliminates the need for recurrent buffering. We will not limit speeds according to use or peak hours since our relationship is always on. Best of all, regardless of the speed level you choose, there are no data limitations.

In New York, Maryland, DC/Virginia, South Carolina, and Florida, we serve various multi-housing communities. Give us a call or drop us an email to learn more about how Comlink Bundle may help you conquer your internet bandwidth anxieties. Get in touch with one of our professionals right now. We are accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for your convenience.