WhatsApp is the leading third-party messaging application in Africa accounting for 7% of total traffic compared to less than 2% traffic in North America and Europe, according to a new survey.
The information was revealed by Sandvine, a leading provider of intelligent broadband and network solutions for fixed and mobile operators, to underscore the traffic trends on the continent.
Other statistics released by Sandvine in the latest African Internet usage trends revealed that Viber has overtaken Skype as the leading VoIP service on several networks.
Streaming video accounts for just over 6% of downstream traffic, which is significantly lower than North America and Europe where it accounts for more than 30%
WAP browsing has seen a significantly declined due to increased adoption of smartphones throughout Africa. YouTube is the top video streaming app accounting for 12.3% of downstream traffic.
Streaming video is the leading source of downstream traffic (26%), but is still significantly lower than most other world markets where it is typically the majority of traffic.
“Throughout Africa, communications service providers are rapidly building out their networks to enhance services and extend coverage into new and previously unconnected locations,” said Tom Donnelly, Sandvine’s COO, Sales and Global Services.
“Sandvine’s success in Africa has made it possible to reveal the latest regional Internet usage data which our customers can use to help improve subscribers’ quality of experience and offer innovative new service tiers.”