8153.0 - Internet Activity, Australia, June 2013 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 08/10/2013   
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MEDIA RELEASE
8 October 2013
Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra time)
174/2013

Australian mobile handset downloads surge


Nearly 20,000 terabytes of data was downloaded by Australians with internet access connections via a mobile handset in the three months to June 2013, which is an increase of 6,000 terabytes according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

"Download volumes for mobile handsets have really seen explosive growth," said Lesley Martin from the ABS, "and while it's true that the number of mobile handset internet subscribers has also increased, that's been much smaller growth."

The total volume of data downloaded via mobile handsets between April and June 2013 was 19,636 terabytes, which is a 43 percent increase from the previous period of October to December 2012.

Between December 2012 and June 2013, the number of mobile handset internet subscribers grew by 13 percent.

"Mobile handset downloads contribute a small percentage of our total internet downloads - in the three months to June, Australia's total download volume hit 657,000 terabytes, which is up 18 percent compared to the three months ended December," Ms Martin said.

"Australia had 12,358,000 internet subscribers - not including mobile handsets - at the end of June 2013, showing a three percent annual increase.

"In pure percentage terms fibre has been the fastest growing type of connection, with a 26 percent increase since December 2012; but it should be remembered that this growth is from a low base.

"There's now 115,000 fibre connections compared to 6.2 million mobile wireless broadband connections such as a dongle or tablet SIM card, 4.8 million by DSL, 93,000 by satellite, and 227,000 still on dial-up."

Further information is available in Internet Activity, Australia, June 2013 (cat. no. 8153.0) available for free download from www.abs.gov.au.


Media Note: The ABS internet activity survey is run twice a year and covers internet subscribers as at end June and December, and download activity in the three months April to June and October to December.
Please ensure when reporting on ABS data that you attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.