97% of Three's network traffic is data

Your country is calling streaming

Ninety-seven per cent of the traffic carried on the Three network is data, according to a company blog posted this afternoon. Do people even make phone calls anymore?

The British Telco angled themselves as a 3G data network when they started in 2003 and that's now one of their big selling points: usually offering bulkier data deals than other providers.

Then they also shift a lot of USB modems, which solely provide data, so it's probably not surprising that the Three network is streaming more bits than the average phone operator.

[S]ince June last year and September this year (just 14 months) we’ve seen a 427% increase in data usage on Three for smartphone customers. Downloading apps, streaming movies, getting around town with Google Maps, even checking in on Facebook – it all adds up, and you’re doing it now more than ever.

Problems ahead for data-guzzlers include the spectrum shortage forecast over the next four to five years. ®