Super Bowl XLVII Caused 15% Dip In Internet Usage As Viewers Flocked To TVs

TV viewership for Super Bowl XLVII remained strong despite a push by internet services to siphon off the big days viewership.

While millions of users posted Facebook status updates and more than 20 million tweets were delivered, a study released this morning by Sandvine found that most social network users tweeted from the comfort of their living room as they watched the big game.

According to Sandvine:

“While many might think the big game might cause big demand on fixed access networks. The truth is while everyone is watching the game on their television they are actually giving the network a break from usage.”

A drop in internet usage because of the Super Bowl is known as the “Super Dip” and it has continued despite the fact that Super Bowl coverage is available for free. Users could visit CBSports.com or use the NFL.com and CBS Sports mobile apps to catch the game on their mobile devices. 

In other cases live streaming was used to generate quite a bit of interest. According to Sandvine:

“For cord cutters or those not near a TV [the stream] would have been their only legitimate option, and thanks to the demand from these users the Super Bowl stream accounted for over 3 percent of total network traffic for the evening.”

Even with cord cutting becoming more commonplace TV’s have remained a staple of the living room. In many cases cord cutters choose to hook there TV sets up to their computers, smartphones and tablet devices in order to offer a more immersive experience.

Despite internet providers best efforts the “super dip”  continues, proving yet again that the days of the television are far from behind us.

About the Guest Author

Matthew is an expert satellite technician who writes about the effects of the internet on the cable TV and satellite industries.

 

Originally posted on February 5, 2013 @ 3:33 am