Internet traffic dynamics

The telecommunications industry has evolved at unprecedented rates with current estimates suggesting that seven percent of the world’s population now has access to the Internet. However, such growth has stimulated vigorous competition in national and international telecommunications markets leading to a price-cost margin squeeze and unsustainable rates of network expansion. This study demonstrates the reliability of established extrapolation methods for forecasting bandwidth demand and provides network managers with the opportunity to observe Internet traffic dynamics. The ability to anticipate periods of peak use and surplus capacity is likely to pay dividends in terms of a more targeted approach to network expansion plans.