Region’s broadband use intensifies
Broadband data consumption has soared in South Canterbury as user habits shift online - but average connection speeds continue to lag behind the national average, new data suggests.
Figures released by telecommunications infrastructure provider Chorus on Monday show Timaru was the most data-hungry of all South Canterbury districts.
The average Timaru district household on the Chorus network used 137GB of data in December, 38 per cent more than in the same month in 2016.
In the Mackenzie district, the average household used 129GB, an increase of 34 per cent, while the average household in Waimate used 116GB, some 66 per cent more.
Nationally, the average New Zealand home used about 174GB of broadband data in December.
At the same time, Broadband speeds continued to rise across the region.
In December, the average download speed in Timaru was 56Mbps, an increase of 56 per cent on December 2016.
It was 24Mbps - an increase of 41 per cent in Mackenzie, and 19Mbps - an increase of 46 per cent — in Waimate.
Nationwide, the average nection speed is 64Mpbs.
A Chorus spokeswoman said the difference between the South Canterbury and national average speeds may be linked to uptake of highspeed data packages.
Demographics - including age and family size - and likely internet use all affect uptake and how the average con- download speed was calculated.
Chorus network strategy manager Kurt Rodgers said video and smart devices were the big growth drivers for data use in 2017.
‘‘Peoples’ viewing habits have shifted online. It’s now very mainstream to watch television shows and movies via an app on a smart television or tablet,’’ he says.
The trends look set to continue to contribute towards strong data usage growth through 2018.