Mobile internet traffic to sports-related sites increased by 215 per cent in Europe, and 156 per cent in the Asia-Pacific, during the Euro 2012 football tournament, according to a survey by Flash Networks. The research used Flash Networks Harmony Analytics solution to study data from major operators across Asia, Europe and N. America that between them service over 250m subscribers, and found that there was a 210 per cent increase in streaming of live sport coverage across Europe during the final day of the tournament.

In Asia-Pacific, mobile traffic to sports-related web content increased by 20 per cent during the tournament, compared to an increase of just 8 per cent in N. America. In the UK, the survey revealed that 8 per cent of British fans watched Euro 2012 games via a desktop computer, smartphone or Tablet, highlighting the growing popularity of live internet sports coverage for fans.

“Special events in general, and sporting events specifically, have a significant impact on mobile video traffic patterns for operators worldwide,” says Merav Bahat, vice president of marketing and business development at Flash Networks. “By identifying data trends in real-time and over time, Harmony Analytics helps operators plan their networks in advance and provide the best possible service to their subscribers.”