Voluntary home stay of people owing to Janata Curfew on Sunday resulted in a huge jump in internet data consumption in the integrated Adilabad district. While BSNL recorded 15% increased consumption of data on the day, other service providers like Jio were estimated to have recorded a jump of at least 25% over its normal consumption of daily data.
There was a spike in consumption of data supplied through cable networks in towns too. Most of it was on account of IT professionals who had returned home earlier to use the ‘work from home’ option, said Saurabh Agarwal of 24X7 Networks.
As the Janata Curfew was a huge success, people staying indoors resorted to watching news and views besides films and other entertainment programmes on TV and on their smartphones. The crew of the few thousand heavy goods vehicles stranded on Penganga inter-State border with Maharashtra in Adilabad district, Wankidi integrated check post (ICP) in Kumram Bheem Asifabad district and Beltharoda ICP) in Nirmal district were also among those who used more internet than usual.
“We have customers using 2 lakh BSNL SIM cards in old composite Adilabad,” said K. Devidas, Assistant General Manager, BSNL-Adilabad. “Through 3G and 4G networks, about 7 terabytes (TB) of data was consumed on the day of Janata Curfew — one TB higher than normal,” he added.
Though Jio officials did not disclose the quantum of jump in data consumption, sources said the number of Jio SIM cards in use is more than 10 lakh. The nnormal consumption of data is also ten times that of BSNL and the increase in consumption on March 22 was by about 2.5TB.
