Vodafone, the world"s second-largest mobile operator, said that there has been a 50% rise in internet usage in some European countries due to the coronavirus crisis, according to Reuters. To maintain the network service and assist critical government tasks, the British company laid out a plan on Wednesday and stated that it expected internet usage to continue to increase.
Although it did not specify which countries have had the biggest surges in data usage, it is expected to be Italy and Spain, where the public has been confined indoors due to government-ordered shutdowns. As a result, millions of users in Europe have switched to working from homes, which has driven up the data traffic. Nick Read, CEO of the Vodafone Group, stressed the significant role the company could play during the crisis:
Through our networks, and our dedicated team, we will strive to ensure that people stay connected to their family and friends, businesses can continue to run using remote working, our health services get all the support we can deliver and students are able to continue their education virtually.
Several European operators said on Tuesday that they were experiencing connectivity issues, but overall networks were performing adequately.