November 27, 2020 To Ensure the Quality of Internet Services in New Daily Lives

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) will organize an Internet traffic study group. This group is expected to clarify issues on the Internet from an overall perspective, share awareness among stakeholders, and consider future efforts to ensure the quality of Internet services that people are becoming more dependent on in their new daily lives.

1. Purpose

Fixed-Internet traffic has gone up significantly (an increase of 57.4% year-on-year in May 2020) due to an increase in people’s time spent at home due to the prevention of the spread of novel coronavirus infection. Fixed-Internet traffic will further increase as digital utilization, including telework, distance learning, and online live events, will continue. Under these circumstances, it is important to alleviate congestion on the entire Internet and ensure communications quality without regional disparities for broadband services that support them.
Considering the above, the Internet traffic study group will clarify various Internet issues from an overall perspective. Furthermore, the study group will share and verify efforts and awareness among related parties and consider necessary efforts to ensure the quality of Internet services that people are becoming more dependent on in their new daily lives.

2. Considerations

1. 1
   Changes in Internet usage and people’s dependence on the Internet in their new daily lives
2. 2
   Status of telecommunications carriers’ response to Internet traffic
3. 3
   Users’ Internet connection environment
4. 4
   Status of Internet traffic concentration in the metropolitan area
5. 5
   Measures to ensure the quality of Internet services even in people’s new daily lives

3. Schedule

The first meeting will be held on December 1, 2020, and successive meetings will be held sequentially.