Internet rivals TV over Christmas

Internet and email use on Christmas Day and Boxing Day this year was
substantially higher than on the same two days in 2003 - itself a
record year - according to figures from the London Internet Exchange
(LINX).<br>
<br>
Data traffic levels at LINX over the holiday were close to those of a
normal weekend, showing that Internet use is increasingly part of daily
life.<br>
<br>
The flow of Internet traffic through LINX facilities peaked at around
50 Gbit/second on Boxing Day and 45 Gbit/second on Christmas Day
itself.&nbsp; This is more than double last year, according to LINX,
when the peaks were 25 Gbit/second on Boxing Day and around 22
Gbit/second.<br>
&nbsp;<br>
LINX sales and marketing manager Vanessa Evans said:&nbsp; "It is
impossible to tell from the traffic figures what exactly people were
doing on the Internet.&nbsp; However, Christmas gifts and greetings,
routine business use of the Internet which continues even through the
holidays and the increasing internationalisation of the medium, all
contributed to the rise in traffic.<br>
<br>
"Over the holiday period itself, people may have been sending e-mails
to relatives overseas or logging onto websites.&nbsp; There were
probably also many people using Christmas gifts - such as
Internet-based games - for the first time."<br>
&nbsp;<br>
Over the three December weekends prior to Christmas the peak traffic flows at LINX were around 62 Gbit/second.<br>