Future Tense

35 Percent of Total Bandwidth Usage in the Evenings Is From Everyone Watching Netflix

All those Orange Is the New Black marathons are using a lot of bandwidth.

Photo by Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP/Getty Images

While a lot of video streaming services are vying for your attention and subscription dollars, Netflix may seem like the most popular choice. Now a new study shows just how definitive its lead really is.

A report from Canadian broadband company Sandvine, surfaced by Quartz, shows that “34.9 percent of downstream traffic in peak evening hours” in North America is from Netflix use. In contrast, only 14 percent is from YouTube, 2.58 percent is from Amazon Instant, 1.41 percent is from Hulu, and 1 percent is from HBO Go.

All of the data collection is from the evenings, when people use streaming services the most, so it isn’t necessarily reflective of broader averages throughout the day. Quartz also points out that the study doesn’t factor in mobile bandwidth. But 35 percent, compared with single digits, is a pretty commanding margin for Netflix in the evening hours.

The study also notes that in spite of the fact that Netflix isn’t available in Australia right now, it is still responsible for 4 percent of evening bandwidth use in the country. Which is pretty amazing.