Gaming, remote work and telehealth among key reasons for high demand for regional broadband

Maitland, Cessnock, Muswellbrook and Singleton are using their connected services more than any other local government area with video streaming, online gaming, video conferencing, working and studying from home and accessing essential services such as telehealth the top uses in these areas.

Towns in the Hunter region of NSW have been named the most data hungry in the state,

according to new figures.

Maitland, Cessnock, Muswellbrook and Singleton are using their connected services more than any other local government area with video streaming, online gaming, video conferencing, working and studying from home and accessing essential services such as Telehealth the top uses in these areas, according to the National Broadband Network (nbn).

Households in Maitland on the outskirts of Newcastle use an average 483GB of data

each month, with Cessnock just behind at 481GB. In Muswellbrook, households are

clocking up 444GB of data a month with Singleton rounding up the top four data hungry

towns with an average 418GB a month.

Dr Rob Joyce, NBN head of customer strategy and innovation says population growth into the Hunter region is helping to fuel demand for data.

Experts speculate the reason the Hunter has topped the state for data use could be due

to a higher than average population density in the region and its diverse economic

activities, which range from mining to agriculture and tourism.

The population of the Hunter has grown from 263,401 to 291,946 – a jump of more than

10 per cent, according to the latest Census data.

“Access to high-speed broadband is now almost as essential as water and electricity,”

said Dr Rob Joyce, nbn Executive General Manager Customer Strategy and Innovation.

“This holds particularly true for regional households, many of which depend on their

internet connections to work remotely, engage in e-commerce, access e-health services,

ensure home security and stay connected with family and friends.

Telehealth is helping drive demand for data in rural and regional NSW. Picture: Supplied

“The digital demand in regional NSW is unstoppable, with the Hunter region at the

forefront. And looking forward, we anticipate this trend to persist, driven by a plethora

of connected devices.”

Dr Joyce said the average household today has 22 connected devices in the home, a

figure he expects will grow to more than 40 by the end of the decade.

MOST DATA HUNGRY LOCATIONS IN NSW (average per month):

Maitland – 483GB

Cessnock – 481GB

Muswellbrook – 444GB

Singleton – 418GB

Dubbo – 402GB

Wagga Wagga – 394GB

Bathurst – 394GB

Moree – 385GB

Tamworth – 384GB

Orange – 381GB