When a host city is selected for the Olympics, major work begins to update the necessary infrastructure to accommodate thousands of athletes and millions of spectators.
The amount of human traffic coming into a host city is so great that it can completely disrupt the flow of events and the lives of locals if proper planning is not done years in advance. But what about digital traffic?
Traffic has spiked to the Paris 2024 website throughout the year as announcements have been made, tickets have gone on sale, and the games have begun.
Resilient Local Internet Makes a Stronger Global Internet
While the core foundation of the Internet is the same around the world, various factors can impact how it performs and its experience for users. Infrastructure, security, performance, and market readiness are all areas we look at when determining how resilient the Internet is in a particular area.
It is critical that the Internet in France is resilient enough to resist (intended or unintended) disruptions, provide reliable access for visitors, and not have performance affected by increased usage. Earlier this week, we saw this need in action when cables were cut in different areas of France, and Internet service remained uninterrupted.
Why Will Resilient Internet Matter Globally?
A resilient Internet is just as important around the world as it is in France. Sports fans will want to be able to join the conversation about the Olympics on social media, read recaps about events, see medal standings, and stream video—either live or on-demand. Depending on where you live, it may not be that easy to cheer on your favorite athlete or team.
For example, let’s look at one of the most-viewed sports in the Olympics: Athletics (also known as track and field). Medal winners hail from a wide range of countries, but historically, we have seen countries like Ethiopia, Jamaica, Kenya, and the United States dominate in the field.
A spectator trying to stream a race online may do so with ease if they’re watching from the US, but someone trying to watch the same race in Ethiopia may not have any success because of the two countries’ vastly different Internet resilience ratings.
Ethiopia currently does not have any Internet exchange points (IXPs) that help to strengthen local connectivity and improve connection speed and user experience. Access isn’t broadly available (although it has improved in recent years), and even for those who do have access, it is expensive and often unreliable, as Ethiopia grapples with frequent electricity cuts or regional Internet shutdowns.
Internet Resilience is a Team Sport
Just like a gold-medal-winning football team is successful because its players work together harmoniously, the Internet is at its best when people and networks work together.
By working together regionally, neighboring countries can improve each other’s resilience and keep each other connected. If a major outage occurs, like submarine cables being severed, Internet traffic can be efficiently rerouted. Creating these relationships before disaster strikes can reduce or even eliminate disruptions.
At the Internet Society, we understand the importance of connectivity and believe that everyone should have easy access to the Internet and the opportunities it brings. Because of this belief, we work around the world to help foster technical communities to build these relationships and work to grow local infrastructure.
Just like the Olympics, the Internet is a global unifier, and it needs our cooperation and support to thrive.
Learn more about Internet resilience and what can be done to improve it in your country.
Image © Photo by Vincent Giersch on Unsplash