The Amsterdam Internet Exchange (AMS-IX) set a new traffic record. On the evening of October 16, the organization processed more than 11 Terabits of internet traffic per second.
Internet exchanges are a hub for the networks of various providers and corporations. Networks connected to the same internet exchange can reach each other faster than unconnected networks. Dozens of internet exchanges operate around the world. AMS-IX is one of the largest.
On the evening of October 16, AMS-IX set a new record. Traffic peaked at more than 11 Terabits per second (Tbit/s). The record indicates internet growth worldwide.
“Internet usage has been growing at about 20 percent per year for years”, the organization explained. “During the pandemic, Internet growth was as high as 40 percent annually. AMS-IX has been close to the traffic peak of 11 Tbit/s per second for some time.”
AMS-IX
The record’s timing has several reasons. AMS-IX reports that several customers recently expanded their capacity to exchange more internet traffic. In addition, the organization underscores the season and hour of the peak. “Cold autumn weather and free time on Sundays cause people to spend a lot of time on the internet,” AMS-IX said.
11 Tbit/s is a vast amount of traffic. The consumption is equivalent to simultaneously streaming six million TikTok videos, more than two million 1080p videos or nearly 500,000 4K videos. The average traffic was 7.8 Tbit/s on the day of the record.