VoIP phones 'changing online behaviour'

VoIP phones have caused a shift in online behaviour, a study into worldwide internet traffic has found.

Network provider Sandvine found that VoIP phones, along with other applications like social networking and gaming, make up most traffic in the peak hours between 18:00 and 23:00.

It was discovered that the use of these programs increases by up to 50 per cent per subscriber during these times.

Dave Caputo, co-founder, president and chief executive of Sandvine, said that his company's research showed that "families are spending more of their leisure time during evening hours on internet-based entertainment and communication".

He added: "Not only does this signal a dramatic shift in consumer behaviour but emphasises the rapid evolution and real strain placed on the internet."

It was also discovered that peer-to-peer (P2P) traffic makes up 61 per cent of upstream traffic and 22 per cent of downstream globally.

Mr Caputo said that P2P applications tend to be on throughout the day, meaning they "are unaffected by changes to network utilisation".