Many US households are seeing a rising trend in upstream data (or upload speed) consumption, according to the latest data from OpenVault’s third quarter 2024 report. But why are many Americans suddenly turning to their upload speeds?
This new report shows that upstream data usage is up by 13% compared to the same quarter last year. On the other hand, downstream usage (download speeds) has declined by 4% over the past year. Having fast download speeds doesn’t solve everything, as users are complaining of more network congestion despite decently high download tiers.
OpenVault's second-quarter report earlier this year uncovered why upstream data consumption is rising among home internet users. It's far more crucial to our daily online lives than we realized. Things like video conferencing, streaming and online gaming rely heavily on upstream data.
Locating local internet providers
Other common activities that utilize your upstream data include:
- Uploading photos and videos to social media (or cloud-based applications)
- Sharing large documents or files via email
- Utilizing smart home devices
- Syncing user activity data generated by applications
- Uploading data from vehicles to the Internet (by 2030, over 90% of new cars will be able to connect to the Internet)
But back to OpenVault’s Q3 2024 report. Even more surprising is that we’re seeing a rise in upstream data consumption in rural areas, where speeds are usually slow due to limited home broadband options. More importantly, the rise in upload speeds matches those found in larger cities.
Locating local internet providers
What might this actually mean? “This demonstrates that operators serving rural areas have invested heavily in upgrading their networks to be able to provide speeds on par with more urban networks,” the OpenVault report offers.
If you live in a less populated area, your broadband options are likely limited to fixed wireless, 5G home internet, DSL and satellite internet. Upload speeds for these connection types top out at 10 to 35Mbps. Fiber and cable connections, though usually absent from rural communities, typically offer faster speeds. A fiber connection is optimal for home internet as it offers symmetrical download and upload speeds, ensuring a fast and reliable connection.
The growth in upstream data consumption among home internet users could pressure ISPs to adapt, potentially transforming these broadband services in the future.