January 26, 2025, 9:10 am | Read time: 3 minutes
According to a new statistical survey, internet usage increased significantly in 2024. However, unlike in the past, it was not King Football that caused particularly strong spikes.
Billions of people use the World Wide Web every day, ensuring an immense exchange of data. They engage in a wide range of activities – from online shopping and travel bookings to streaming films, series, or live events. Now, there are new figures on internet usage in 2024, which provide insights into user behavior from the past year. They also reveal a new trend that may well come as a surprise.
Sharp Rise in Data Usage in 2024
DE-CIX (German Commercial Internet Exchange) is responsible for the analysis. According to its own information, it is the “world’s leading operator of data center and network operator-neutral Internet nodes.” It is represented in almost 60 locations worldwide, accessible from data centers in more than 600 cities, and “connects thousands of network operators (carriers), Internet service providers (ISPs), content providers, and corporate networks from more than 100 countries.”
DE-CIX in Frankfurt am Main is also one of the largest Internet exchanges in the world, with more than 3,400 connected networks. The data it provides insight into gives a representative impression of Internet usage in 2024. A new press release now reveals that the networks connected to DE-CIX exchanged a total of 68 exabytes of data last year. To explain, one exabyte corresponds to one billion gigabytes (GB). This is a new record with an increase of 15 percent compared to 2023.
To put this figure into perspective, 68 exabytes would be generated if a soccer match were to be streamed in HD quality for two million years. This represents more than a doubling since 2020.
Gaming Surpasses Soccer
However, unprecedented amounts of data were not only generated throughout the year. The volume of data exchanged at peak times has also increased. For example, 24.92 terabits per second (Tbit/s) were registered at 8 p.m. on November 20, 2024. If printed out, this volume would be equivalent to a stack of paper 20 times higher than Mount Everest.
DE-CIX cites “several gaming releases and updates from various providers,” which were newly available at the same time, as the reason for this. No specific titles were mentioned. However, the highly anticipated shooter Stalker 2 – Heart of Chornobyl was released on the same day. This means that video games have even surpassed soccer streams. And even in a year in which the European Championships were held.
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Entertainment Strong All Year Round
The intensity of many Internet activities varies seasonally. For example, DE-CIX recorded a lull in video conferences in the summer. In the third quarter, their number rose again by 30 percent, only to subside again at the turn of the year and around the holidays.
Streaming services, on the other hand, remained in high demand across the board. Gaming would also produce the largest amounts of data compared to other categories.
This should come as no surprise: Video and computer games are now the entertainment industry’s top-selling sector. And this segment, in particular, is taking place online more than ever before. This includes digital purchases as well as downloads and multiplayer sessions with players from all over the world.