ANACOM estimates that electronic communications traffic in the week of 29/03/2020 decreased in relation to the previous week, but still stands significantly above that recorded in the pre-COVID-19 period.
In relation to the previous week, it is estimated that voice traffic should have decreased by about 9% and data traffic by about 11%. However, voice traffic was 34% higher than that recorded in the period before the start of the measures of protection against COVID-19 contagion, and data traffic was 35% higher than that observed at that time (see table below).
According to the available information, the changes in the patterns of use of electronic communications services identified in the previous week have been maintained. In other words, a significant growth of fixed voice traffic (+96%), in contrast to the reduction observed in previous years (in 2019 this type of traffic fell by 15%), reduction of the relative weight of mobile voice (which grew less than fixed voice), growth of fixed broadband traffic (+36%), and less significant increase of mobile data traffic (+20%).
|
Mobile voice |
Fixed voice |
Voice |
Mobile data |
Fixed data |
Data |
||
|
22/03/2020 |
41% |
94% |
47% |
24% |
54% |
52% |
|
|
29/03/2020 |
25% |
96% |
34% |
20% |
36% |
35% |
|
Mobile voice |
Fixed voice |
Voice |
Mobile data |
Fixed data |
Data |
||
|
22/03/2020 |
41% |
94% |
47% |
24% |
54% |
52% |
|
|
29/03/2020 |
-11% |
1% |
-9% |
-3% |
-11% |
-11% |
(*) ANACOM estimate based on the most recent data reported up to 29.03.2020 by the 3 largest operators
Pandemic drives increased tests via NET.mede
Related to the higher data consumption that has been recorded over these past weeks, is the increased number of tests to check Internet access speed, both mobile and fixed, through NET.mede. Between January and 29 March, the daily average number of speed tests made via NET.mede (through browser) has practically tripled.
The most dramatic increase occurred from 12 March onwards, the day after the declaration of pandemic by the WHO. Before, there was an average of 1500/2000 tests per day, which rose to about 4500 daily tests in the last days of the period under review. In mobile accesses, the increase was from 300 to 1000 daily tests.
Between January and 11 March, the period of the day with highest affluence of execution of tests was between 18 hours and 22 hours, in the case of residential fixed accesses. By the end of the period under review, this affluence had become earlier in the day, between 15 and 19 hours. This outcome will reflect, among other factors, the effect of remote working from home and distance learning. In mobile accesses, the majority of the tests were carried out between 18 and 22 hours, up to 11 March, shifting to more homogenous patterns of behaviour throughout the day during the last days of the period under review, although it should be noted that there was no change in peak times.
We highlight that the region of "Lisboa e Vale do Tejo" recorded the highest daily average number of tests. In fixed residential accesses there were 1694 tests per day, during the week of 23 to 29 March, 149% more than in the pre-pandemic period. In mobile accesses, 481 daily tests were made during that week, more than doubling the figure recorded in the pre-pandemic period.
The municipalities of the country which recorded the highest number of tests, before and after the pandemic announcement, in fixed and mobile accesses, are Lisbon, Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia.
