It may be difficult to believe that the Internet could get even more popular than it is now, but according to a new report by Cisco, global Internet traffic is expected to quadruple by 2015.
Thanks to the growth of Web-enabled devices such as smartphones and tablets, Internet use is expected to dramatically increase rise in the next few years. In fact, Cisco predicts that the number of network-connected devices in owners' hands will be more than 15 billion, twice the world's population, by 2015.
Cisco is predicting that each person in North America will own an average of 5.8 devices for each person. Japan and western Europe are expected to trail behind, with 5.4 and 4.4 devices for each person.
Cisco also said that there will be nearly 3 billion Internet users by 2015, which is more than 40 percent of the world's projected population.
Traffic is expected to double in certain areas of the world, including the Middle East and Africa. Latin America will also experience Internet growth, with a projected 48 percent jump in traffic and an estimated 2.1 devices for each person.
Meanwhile, the average fixed broadband speed is expected to increase fourfold, from 7 megabits per second in 2010 to 28 Mbps in 2015. The average broadband speed has already doubled within the past year from 3.5 Mbps to 7 Mbps.
As for video, 1 million video minutes — the equivalent of 674 days — will go on the Internet every second.
Cisco also said that flat-panel televisions are expected to see the biggest production jump worldwide, growing 1,063 percent from 2010. Other areas of growth include tablet devices (750 percent), digital photo frames (600 percent) and e-readers (550 percent).
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