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A recent report released by the Discovery Institute estimates that by 2015, U.S. IP traffic could reach an annual total of one zettabyte (1021 bytes), or one million million billion bytes. From YouTube, IPTV, and high-definition images, to "cloud computing" and ubiquitous mobile cameras, 3D games, virtual worlds, and photorealistic telepresence, the new wave is swelling into an exaflood of Internet and IP traffic.

U.S. by 2015 estimates from the report (An exabyte is 10 to the 18th):

• Movie downloads and P2P file sharing could be 100 exabytes
• Video calling and virtual windows could generate 400 exabytes
• "Cloud" computing and remote backup could total 50 exabytes
• Internet video, gaming, and virtual worlds could produce 200 exabytes
• Non-Internet "IPTV" could reach 100 exabytes, and possibly much more
• Business IP traffic will generate some 100 exabytes
• Other applications (phone, Web, e-mail, photos, music) could be 50 exabytes

The U.S. Internet of 2015 will be at least 50 times larger than it was in 2006. Internet growth at these levels will require a dramatic expansion of bandwidth, storage, and traffic management capabilities in core, edge, metro, and access networks. A recent Nemertes Research study estimates that these changes will entail a total new investment of some $137 billion in the worldwide Internet infrastructure by 2010. In the U.S., currently lagging Asia, the total new network investments will exceed $100 billion by 2012.

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Related topics: Access Providers, Broadband, Cloud Computing, IPTV, Mobile, P2P, Telecom