New Zealand Broadband traffic surges under new lockdown but still manageable - Chorus

Aucklanders under level 3 restrictions drove the most internet traffic today

Broadband traffic climbed 55 per cent today compared to last Tuesday with Aucklanders trapped in Level 3 lockdown responsible for the bulk of the increase.

The Auckland region saw a 96 per cent uplift in traffic, while the rest of New Zealand increased 13 per cent, Chorus said in a statement.

The dominant copper line and UFB fibre operator said broadband traffic on its network peaked at 1.75 terabits per second (Tbps), which is still well short of the company's maximum peak capacity of 3.5Tbps.

In late March, 2020, at the onset of the first Level 4 lockdown in response to Covid-19, traffic reached 3.03Tbps per second.

Upstream traffic, which increases with higher use of applications such as video conferencing, across the country increased by 41 per cent today to 0.236Tbps.

The Auckland region saw a 61 per cent uplift in traffic, while the rest of the country increased 14 per cent.

"Mini-surges occurring every half-hour, seen in the second graph below, seemingly coincide with online video conferences starting."

The increase in traffic is expected as households across the country enter alert level 2 lockdown, with those in the Auckland region at alert level 3, Chorus said.

Technicians are using appropriate PPE when working in homes and businesses and are socially distancing themselves, the company added.

In Auckland, Chorus will pre-screen customers to check whether households have anyone with Covid-19 symptoms or who is a confirmed case. Technicians will only go into homes where customers are comfortable for them to attend.

"There is no congestion on the Chorus network."