PlusNet reports on Top Gear's Stig traffic spike

Thu 25 Jun 2009 Comment

Fans of Top Gear cause a massive spike in internet traffic this week as the new series began with the much-anticipated reveal of The Stig. For those who haven't tuned in, The Stig is a mystery masked driver who has test driving cars for the show for a number of years.

According to internet service provider, PlusNet the demand for BBC iPlayer was so high following the broadcast of this show it set a new iPlayer record. Between the hours of 10pm and 11pm on Sunday 1.31Gb of traffic used the on-demand service. As a comparison, the average level of streaming traffic that day stood at around 343Mb.

 

 

Speaking on the event PlusNet's Dave Tomlinson commented: “It's a strange kind of job when you have to consult the TV guides every week to see what people will be watching and predict when they will be watching it. The energy companies have been doing it for years. I wonder if they are now seeing spikes in demand not from people boiling the kettle after Corrie but people switching their computers on and watching the night's TV online after an evening out...”

Tomlinson also commented he thought the reveal was a stunt: “I don't think it was the real Stig”.

 

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