Internet traffic to quadruple by 2013, says Cisco

Annual global IP traffic will exceed two-thirds of a zettabyte (667 exabytes) by 2013, according to a report issued by Cisco.

By 2013, The internet will be four times larger than it is at present, with peer-to-peer (P2P) growing in volume, but declining as a percentage of overall IP traffic with an 18 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR).

Mobile technology such as air port, Wi-Fi, and wireless connectivity, as well as internet ready mobile phones, will drive more than 80 per cent of traffic by 2013, according to the report.

Consequently, devices such as the iPhone and Blackberry have created exponential growth in mobile data traffic resulting in a predicted CAGR increase of 131 per cent by 2013.

Cisco predicted mobile phones and laptops will drive over 80 per cent global traffic by 2013 - indicating the increasingly mobile nature of mobility, both on a consumer and professional level.

Overall, global IP traffic is expected to quintuple between 2009 and 2013, resulting in a CAGR of 40 per cent. However, P2P is expected to drop from 50 per cent of consumer internet traffic to 20 per cent by 2013.

Advancements in business IT applications, such as increased adaption of video communication by SMEs, will see business IP traffic grow at a CAGR of 33 per cent.

According to the report, the ascension of business IP WAN traffic will out grow business internet traffic, which at present doubles IP WAN traffic. However, the introduction of video into WAN will result in a CAGR of 36 per cent compared to CAGR of 32 per cent from business internet traffic.

Currently, video content accounts for one-third of all consumer internet traffic. However, by 2013, Cisco predict it to increase to 91 per cent of all global consumer traffic.

Video communications, both commercial and consumer based, are growing with both video conferencing and private messenger video experiencing high levels or growth - Cisco expect this trend to increase tenfold by 2013.