We are living in unprecedented times. It’s been an unpredictable start to 2020 with Australia experiencing bush fires, floods and now the COVID-19 virus. COVID-19 has forced us to reassess the way we communicate, socialise, work and entertain.
Notably, for businesses, the virus has meant implementing drastic changes to ensure work continues. Non-essential businesses are now conducting day to day activities from the comfort of their own homes, connected by various video and audio communication apps.
For the everyday employee, this has meant familiarising oneself with the app Zoom and Webex, learning how to manage time effectively at home and impress your colleagues by allowing your dog to join in on team video meetings.
Without a doubt, the movement to have people home has meant network providers are put to the test. With workers and their families now home, there is an increased demand for bandwidth. So what have we seen to date?
Increased demand for bandwidth usage
With greater demand for bandwidth, there is more strain on network providers. A lot of the conversation has been surrounding the National Broadband Network and the increase in demand for data.
It was reported at the start of April that peak download throughput recorded each week in the evenings has increased by 25 per cent to 13.8 terabits per second on the NBN network. This is on the back of social distancing measures and the movement to have employees work from home.
The Guardian reported at the end of March that Netflix had agreed to reduce the data it uses for streaming. This is to reduce the demanded bandwidth on the NBN network and would see a streaming quality decrease. The same article reported that NBN Co has granted ISP’s a 40% increase in the capacity allowance for free for the next three months.
NBN Co isn’t the only provider experiencing this surge. Vocus has also experienced an increase in the network. According to Commsday in March, the network infrastructure provider experienced an increased of Zoom traffic of 300% in the course of 30 days. Without a doubt, video conferencing has increasingly become a requirement to keep office colleagues connected.
The VostroNet Network
What does the current social distancing climate mean for VostroNet? Whilst we can’t help with cabin fever, we can support increased demand for network usage. VostroNet deploys a 10 Gbps fibre connection to each of its sites, ensuring a building has the capacity it needs to cater to the increasing demand from residents.
Likewise, retailers on VostroNet’s fibre provide our users with affordable plans with uninterrupted connection speeds. The ISP Zolt, for instance, provides uninterrupted speeds of up to 250 Mbps to residents on the VostroNet network. High-speed, reliable plans will keep you connected with your work.
Customer support in a time when needed
We’re here to support you during this time. VostroNet monitors the network performance 24/7, ensuring users remain online. We offer a 24-hr support desk to answer any questions about your network.
Find out more about the VostroNet residential network today.
