Mourning a beloved actor, tensions on the eastern border and a popular video game raised DNA customers’ data usage to peak numbers in 2023

The days with the highest average mobile data usage among DNA consumers were 29 October, 19 November and the first weekend of November. Fixed network data usage peaked on the same days, though they ranked in different order: The highest fixed network usage occurred on 19 November instead of 29 October.

Daily data usage is reported in proportion to subscriber numbers, which means growing subscriber numbers do not explain the increase in usage towards the end of the period. More likely, spikes in data usage were driven by widely discussed events that not only motivated Finns to look for more information, but also elicited a reaction of some sort. For example, the peak day for mobile data usage was the same day that news broke of the death of beloved Friends actor Matthew Perry. The iconic TV series was a generational experience for many, as evidenced by the flood of comments across social media reminiscing and mourning Perry’s passing. Similarly, rising tensions on the Russian border from 18 to 19 November caused a visible spike in data usage.

“We are seeing a huge change in how people keep up with current events. Where before the news was something you watched on TV – where you would see a few short clips filmed by a reporter – now it is a mass of content new and old filling social media. The astronomic growth in the number of videos online has changed how we keep track of current events and content that interests us – most of all because the time we used to spend watching TV is now spent on telecommunications networks like the Internet. Now people watch what they want to when they want to”, says head of DNA’s VP, Broadband Mikko Kannisto.

People spend Sundays on entertainment and topics that interest them

Peak data usage days are almost always on the weekends, especially Sunday, and, according to Kannisto, this is no coincidence.

“Weekend spikes in data usage tell us that that’s when people spend time on entertainment and exploring topics they’re interested in. When people have time to do what they want, by far the most common destinations are streaming services and online gaming for entertainment and social media for news about what’s going on in the world or simply to pass time. This creates spikes in data usage, because sending video and audio is significantly more data-intensive than, for example, sending emails for your job.”

“Online gaming, especially, uses a lot of data, which is why the spike on the first weekend of November comes as no surprise. Friday 3 November saw the start of popular video game Fortnite’s newest season, Chapter 4: Season OG, which seems to have driven up traffic across the whole weekend.

Improvements in devices and connectivity are accelerating data usage

Worth noting is also that, with the exception of 19 March, which marked the second Grand Prix of the Formula One season in Saudi Arabia, peak data usage days are concentrated towards the end of the period under review.

“Data usage is constantly going up, among other reasons, because smart devices and connections are always getting better. For example, the quality of videos on social media is improving constantly. Usage is further accelerated by 5G-compatible smart devices becoming more common”, Kannisto explains.

Calculated based on place of residence, DNA’s 5G network already reaches nearly 93 per cent of the Finnish population – more than five million people across 239 localities.

Media enquiries:

Mikko Kannisto, VP, Broadband, DNA Plc, tel. +358 (0)44 590 2527, mikko.kannisto@dna.fi
DNA Corporate Communications, tel. +358 (0)44 044 8000, communications@dna.fi