Stricter corona measures increase home work traffic by one third

The home working data traffic on the fixed KPN network has increased by almost a third since the government’s new corona measures. This emerges from the latest State of the Network, in which KPN monitors network activity. In the first week after the new measures, home working data traffic rose by an average of 25% to 30% in comparison with the first week of November, when the stricter home working recommendation had not yet taken effect. Even so, less work is being done from home than at the beginning of this year, when the home working recommendation was also in effect.

“The streaming traffic already showed an increase in the first weekend after the stricter measures were imposed,” says Paul Slot, KPN infrastructure manager. “Since Monday, the increase in home working data traffic is clearly visible. Indeed, it increased as the week progressed. Consequently, the data traffic from home working is likely to increase further in the second week.”

Home working recommendation less strictly followed
It appears that the home working recommendation is being followed less strictly than at the beginning of this year. For instance, the current volume of KPN’s traffic is roughly two thirds that of the first week of March 2021. “The data traffic at that time showed sharper peaks and the sawtooth – formed by the online meetings on the hour and half-hour – was more noticeable.”