Belgian internet traffic increased by 40 percent last year – IT Pro – News

The Belgian internet exchange BNIX reports that in 2020 40 percent more data traffic passed through the node compared to 2019. On December 15, 2020, Belgian internet traffic rose to more than 600 gigabits per second, which is a new record.

According to the Belgian National Internet Exchange The increase in Belgian internet traffic is caused by the fact that the Belgians went online more during the lockdown. “We started teleworking en masse during the lockdown. In addition, children found a way to contact friends via online games and we streamed a lot of films and series,” said Dirk Haex, technical director at the umbrella management organization Belnet.

During the first Belgian lockdown in March 2020, BNIX recorded peaks in internet traffic of over 400 gigabits per second, which is more than double than in 2019, according to the internet exchange. The highest peak in Belgian internet traffic occurred during the second national lockdown. December 15, 2020. “Then we saw peaks around 600Gbit / s. That is the same as all residents of Hasselt, Kortrijk and Leuven who simultaneously watch a film in high quality on Netflix”, declares Haex to VRT NWS.

BNIX also saw that the peak of Belgian data traffic in 2020 was no longer always in the evening. “Because of all that teleworking, we now reach the peak during the day, with a decrease at noon, presumably because people start eating. Internet traffic also drops on weekends because people are not at their computer,” says Haex .

Late last year reported the Dutch internet exchange AMS-IX also increased their internet traffic. The AMS-IX processed almost 23 exabytes of data in 2020, which was 35 percent more than in 2019. The growing internet traffic due to the corona pandemic had a ‘clear effect’ on the platforms of AMS-IX, according to the internet exchange.

–