Malaysia’s internet traffic grows at CAGR of 52% since 2012

Malaysia's internet traffic grows at CAGR of 52% since 2012

By Digital News Asia September 12, 2018

2018’s highest half-year Internet traffic peak touches 288Gbps
This year’s Internet traffic peaks driven by GE14 and World Cup in May and June

Malaysia's internet traffic grows at CAGR of 52% since 2012

MALAYSIA Internet Exchange (MyIX), also known as ‘Persatuan Pengendali Internet Malaysia’ - a non-profit initiative by the Government of Malaysia, shares that the highest bandwidth that traversed within the MyIX infrastructure has hit a new record 288Gbps in 2018.

MyIX network’s data traffic peak points are based on the highest data traffic recorded on a particular day, on a monthly basis. The report compared the traversing data between January to June 2018, to the corresponding period of the previous year January to June 2017.

It showed the Internet data patterns and the growth of Internet traffic peered within the national Internet Exchange nodes that directly connects with the country’s major ISPs and content providers.

MyIX chairman Chiew Kok Hin (pic) says, “MyIX has recorded 288Gbps of data travelling per second through its network nodes, the highest bandwidth recorded so far now in the year 2018, equivalent to a 16% increase in data travelling per second as compared to the previous year’s highest peak point of 248Gbps over the same period.”

In Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) terms of six years (since 2012), MyIX’s monthly Internet traffic peak point has increased at a CAGR of about 52%.

MyIX adds that this CAGR of 52% is a very good indication of how massively the country’s Internet landscape is speedily developing. “The country’s internet connectivity in Malaysia has come a long way. The highest peak point was 23.3Gbps in 2012 while for the six-month period of 2018, recorded at 288Gbps.”

GE14 and Fifa World Cup 2018 drive traffic

In analysing 2018 Internet traffic within the MyIX network, Chiew shares that the two major events that contributed to the increase in Internet consumption amongst Malaysians in the months of May and June were attributed to the GE14 and 2018 Fifa World Cup respectively.

He said, “Malaysians were actively following the news and updates post the historical general election, followed by the 2018 Fifa World Cup fans who watched the tournaments with live coverage from mid-June till mid July 2018.”

Coincidently, Fifa World Cup 2018 that was held in Moscow, Russia, also marked the most extensive coverage in history; being covered live and shown in 190 different territories across the world, including Malaysia.

“This Internet data traffic growth cumulates from the consumers’ access and affordability of more smartphone and tablet, increasing broadband speeds, cloud computing, video streaming, and social media,” says Chiew.

New MyIX members

As of August 2018, MyIX reports a total of 93 members that has joined its peering network. This comprises 70 local members and 23 foreign members.

The latest additions to MyIX members list include PCCW-HKT Network Services Limited, Telekomunikasi Indonesia International (M) Sdn Bhd, Imperva Inc and Krypton Global Networks (M) Sdn Bhd.

Chiew says, “We are seeing more foreign Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and Content Service Providers (CSPs) interested in joining MyIX as they see the benefits from being part of Malaysia’s main peering network, for more efficient and cost-effective interconnectivity and to promote efficient routing of traffic via direct peering with their local partners, to reach to Malaysian consumers.”

MyIX believes that it can continue to play an important role in driving down connectivity cost and increasing benefits as advocated by Gobind Singh Deo, Minister of Communications and Multimedia, for lower retail prices of broadband and increase in speeds.

“MyIX members of ISPs and CSPs, are able to reduce their operational costs – which can either translate to bigger corporate profit (margins), or transfer the cost savings to their customers by offering more competitive data plans,” Chiew ends.