The COVID-19 pandemic has absolutely changed the way the world lives, works, and connects. (We've been monitoring the latest network developments and logging our own analysis here.)
The team at i3forum recently released data on the increase in international voice traffic captured by i3forum Insights, a market database used to track and analyze international voice services.
According to their release, Insights showed a 20% increase in international voice traffic in March 2020 compared to the same month in 2019. Roaming traffic dropped by 30%.
Further, the average length of calls increased by more than 30% in March and over 60% in April 2020 compared to 2019.
"What is striking is the growth in call duration. Calls are longer and that compensated for the decline in number of calls."
“Changing user behaviors, resulting from the move to remote working and stay at home orders, have had an immediate impact on the international voice market," said Philippe Millet, Chairman of i3forum. "i3forum Insights has seen an initial spike in traffic in March then a return to regular traffic volumes in April, albeit with different patterns, as people have adapted to new social and working situations. What is striking is the growth in call duration. Calls are longer and that compensated for the decline in number of calls.”
Each participating i3forum Insights carrier uploads their voice traffic data into a system operated by TeleGeography on behalf of the i3forum. Carriers then compare their own data against the anonymized, aggregated data provided by other participants using a state-of-the art analytics engine, Tableau.
Data provided by a given carrier is kept 100% confidential at all times; no other party will be able to access it.
Database contributors include BICS, BTS, iBasis, Orange, PCCW Global, Tata Communications, Sparkle, Telefónica International Wholesale Services, and Telstra. The database provides intelligence on more than 17,400 destinations.
“Users of i3forum Insights are seeing these trends and are able to use this intelligence to optimize their businesses and better serve their customers.”
"The nine carriers currently using the platform have generated over 1,200 logins to the platform per month. This demonstrates that despite the companies operating remotely, i3forum Insights is being well embedded into operational processes. Users connect frequently with an average of 10 logins per user per month, showing the platform’s intensive use and support for carriers’ day-to-day businesses,” added Millet. “Users of i3forum Insights are seeing these trends and are able to use this intelligence to optimize their businesses and better serve their customers.”
