The latest Internet activity figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show continuing massive growth in downloads. Australians managed to download 2.1 exabytes of data — 2.1 million terabytes — over a three-month period ending June 2016.
The figures represent a more than 50 per cent increase compared to the three months to June 2015. Downloads grew by more than a fifth compared to the three months ending December 2015.
The majority of data — 2.05 million terabytes — was, unsurprisingly, downloaded over fixed-line connections, the new ABS figures reveal.
When it came to type of access technology, fibre-based connections continued to be the fastest growing category.
At the end of June 2016 there were 960,000 ISP customers using fibre connections, up from 645,000 in December 2015 and 420,000 in June 2015. (The figures only includes customers of ISPs with more than 1000 subscribers.)
Dial-up is still holding on with 90,000 subscribers (down 3000 from December).
The ABS breaks down access technologies into dial-up, DSL, cable, fibre, satellite, fixed wireless and mobile wireless. The bureau says it includes fibre to the premises, fibre to the home, and fibre to the building in its fibre category.