Majority of Kiwis face broadband issues as usage rises during lockdown

Monday, 6 April 2020

New Zealanders are using more internet bandwidth than ever, and it is starting to show.

A new survey of 2142 respondents commissioned by comparison website Finder found that 81 per cent were regularly accessing video content online via streaming services like Netflix and Neon.

But with the increase in network traffic there has also be an increase in buffering issues.

Over two thirds of the respondents reported experiencing dropouts when watching video content, while a third face the buffering wheel at least once per week when streaming.

Increased streaming during the lockdown has placed pressure on internet capacity.

* Mobile operators confident call failures won't be ongoing issue during lockdown

* Instagram launches its own version of YouTube

* YouTube wants to be Netflix**

The survey was carried out in March and was commissioned by Finder. It was conducted by global research house Qualtrics.

Of those surveyed, 15 per cent said they had daily issues with buffering and dropped videos while 17 per cent said they had issues at least once a week.

Around 13 per cent said they never had problems and 23 per cent said buffering was rarely an issue.

During the alert level four lockdown, there has been a significant increase in broadband usage.

The current network capacity in New Zealand is 3.5Tbps

Network operator Chorus reported internet usage peaked at 3.03 terabytes per second (Tbps) last week, the equivalent to 600,000 movies being streamed simultaneously.

The current network capacity is 3.5Tbps.

Overall, the peak has increased 34 per cent from the pre-lockdown baseline, according to Chorus.

Streaming giants Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube have all taken steps to reduce their bit rate over the past few weeks.

Kevin McHugh, Finder's publisher in New Zealand, said demand for high-speed internet was set to increase over the coming weeks as Kiwis remained cooped up at home.

'The network is going to see a strain, not only from those working remotely, but also from people looking for other entertainment options after the cancellation of sports and other regular viewing events.'

McHugh said online learning would increase the pressure on the system, particularly after the Easter break when the holidays for many primary school students finished.

University students were already being taught remotely.

Sarah Putt, spokeswoman for the New Zealand telecommunications forum, said the survey found 'some people, at some times, they may experience buffering, something that can be caused by a range of factors.'

'Our members who run the networks are reporting that the additional load from Covid-19 is currently being well managed, and the networks are actively managed to alleviate congestion if it occurs,' Putt said.

Households were encouraged to look at ways they can improve their home broadband network, Putt said.