KC ( Karoo ), the incumbent telecoms operator and broadband ISP for Hull and East Riding (Yorkshire, UK), has informed us that general internet traffic over the recent Christmas 2010 weekend was actually "noticeably lower" than earlier weekends. However use of internet TV and video systems, such as the BBC iPlayer service, was up by about a third compared to last Christmas 2009.


The situation appears to have taken KC by surprise, "we didn't expect this", the spokesperson added. Indeed KC had offered its customers unlimited free downloads from midnight on the 23rd December until midnight on Boxing Day as a Christmas extra.

Naturally most people take the Christmas weekend out to relax, eat, drink and be merry. However in past years the internet has increasingly figured into people's lives, such as through popular voice communication services like Skype. We're currently awaiting feedback from other ISPs to see if KC's experiences are unique.