TeleGeography's Official Blog

Hey, Who’s Using the Bandwidth?

Written by Paul Brodsky | Sep 5, 2024 12:08:00 PM

To many people, the concepts of global network infrastructure and bandwidth markets are difficult to grasp. But to those who follow this sector, it's one of the most fundamental building blocks of the global economy.

You’ve likely heard that worldwide bandwidth demand is steadily increasing. A natural follow-up question: why? Who’s generating all of this demand?

Our Transport Networks Research Service is here to help. This research tool—which actively assesses the state of the global telecom capacity market—groups bandwidth users into four categories:

1. Internet Backbone Providers

This category includes the carriers that operate public IP networks. 

2. Content Providers

This term refers to websites or organizations that handle the distribution of online content.

Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon, as well as network-based content delivery networks, are all examples of content providers. (Stay updated on their submarine cable holdings over here.)

3. Research-Educational

This segment includes networks run by various research and educational institutions, such as astronomical observatories or universities.

4. Enterprises and Others

This final category includes dedicated intra-corporate links, media networks, and government capacity.


Ready to take a deeper look at the factors that shape long-term demand and price movements?

👉 Download our latest executive summary