We have one more surprise to roll out before 2021 draws to a close.
Say hello to our 2022 Global Internet Map!
We have one more surprise to roll out before 2021 draws to a close.
Say hello to our 2022 Global Internet Map!
Hold on, let me quickly grab my crystal ball.
Okay. Now that I've got that, let's see what it says about the future of the global internet. (And let's all agree that by "crystal ball" I mean "notes from our 2021 Global Internet Geography update.")
Until 2015, international carrier voice traffic had increased in each of the previous 60 years.
In each of the past four years, paid call volumes have slumped, with no end in sight. International carriers had already suffered from revenue stagnation due to slow traffic growth and falling prices.
The unprecedented occasion of outright traffic decline, however, marked a new and depressing turning point. In reviewing developments from the past year, three major trends stand out.
Will COVID-19 leave a lasting mark on the global internet?
Based on discussions and surveys with dozens of network operators around the globe, we believe that COVID-related expansion in internet traffic and bandwidth is largely a one-off phenomenon. It seems likely that the trends we've observed in recent years will largely continue.
Until 2015, international carrier voice traffic had increased in each of the previous 60 years.
But for the past four years, paid call volumes have slumped with no end in sight. International carriers had already suffered from revenue stagnation due to slow traffic growth and falling prices. The unprecedented occasion of outright traffic decline, however, marked a new and depressing turning point.
What's on the horizon for the global internet? We have a few ideas.
International internet bandwidth and traffic growth has gradually slowed in recent years, but remains brisk. And IP transit price declines continue globally, but significant regional differences in prices persist around the world.
The combined effects of new internet-enabled devices, growing broadband penetration in developing markets, higher broadband access rates, and bandwidth-intensive applications will continue to fuel strong internet traffic growth.
International internet capacity growth rates have fallen steadily for many years, and annual growth rates have settled in the low-30 percent range.
But even with the declining pace of growth, 196 Tbps of new international internet capacity was deployed between 2013 and 2017, bringing global international internet capacity to 295 Tbps.
Where is the global internet headed and how is it going to get there?
There are a few ways to answer that question.
I recently attended the first BKNIX Peering Forum in Bangkok, where I presented on Connectivity Trends in Asian Markets. The presentation covered international used bandwidth in Asia, submarine cable investments, as well as wholesale transport and IPT prices.
