Data consumption in Chile: mobiles account for 85% of Internet access

Analysis of official figure shows that mobile traffic grew by 105% in a year as compared to 40% for fixed lines.

Mobile devices account for 85% of Internet accesses in Chile. This is the conclusion of the first study of data consumption by the Undersecretariat of Telecommunications (SUBTEL). Despite this high figure, however, the study also shows that access of this type accounts for only 14% of national traffic.

According to the report, mobile traffic grew by 105% in a year while, for fixed lines, the increase reached 40%.

In the case of hourly demand, consumption in fixed networks peaks between 22:00 and 23:00 and, for mobile data, between 20:00 and 21:00. 

Undersecretary Pamela Gidi indicated that the figures “reveal the exponential growth of Chileans’ data consumption which will, moreover, continue”. 

She added that “this trend represents a challenge for SUBTEL as regards generating the right conditions so that Chileans can opt for the Internet services best suited to their needs, with high standards of quality and low prices; it also shows that we must prepare the ground for a further important increase in data consumption, which will occur when the future 5G network is deployed, for which we are already working.”

Use of data

According to the study, the data consumed in fixed networks corresponds to watching videos (39.6%); browsing the web (19.7%); accessing social networks (4.8%); downloading files (3.9%); gaming (0.3%); and other uses (31.6%).

In the case of mobile data, the main uses are watching videos (30.5%); social networks (28.8%); browsing the web (17.4%); downloading files (1.3%); gaming (0.2%); and other uses (21.7%).

VTR is the company with the largest share of fixed data traffic (35.6%), followed by Movistar, Claro, Gtd and Pacífico Cable. In the case of mobile data traffic, Movistar leads with 28.4%, followed by WOM, Entel and Claro.

Chile is a highly connected country and recognized as an early adopter of technology. For more information, read this article.

Source: Diario Financiero