SAINT CLOUD, Fla.—Despite numerous reports that streaming is up during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA) has found that HD streaming has been supplanted as the leading broadband use during the pandemic.
This comes from a survey conducted by WISPA into how WISPs deliver broadband to their customers. Pre-COVID, HD streaming was the top use of broadband, followed by email, web browsing, gaming and music streaming. However, new habits and needs have caused it to fall behind virtual meetings/webinars and distance learning. WISPA notes that HD streaming continues to be a significant bandwidth driver, though.
In addition, WISPA found that 82% of WISPs have upgraded their delivery network since the onset of the pandemic, while 58% have purchased additional capacity from bandwidth suppliers. WISPs have been specifically looking to upgrade both last-mile and backhaul capacity, said WISPA.
For more information, visit www.wispa.org.
