London 2012 Olympics: Internet ‘meltdown’ warning as experts predict overload

By
Tara Brady

Last updated at 4:13 PM on 5th February 2012

Britain faces an internet meltdown during the London 2012 Olympic Games due to more people going online. 

In a Government document called Preparing your business for the Games, it warns companies they could lose their internet connection between July 27 and August 12.

Data caps could be introduced during peak times to help ease the pressure. 

Crash: Businesses could face an internet meltdown as more people log on at peak times during the London 2012 Olympic Games

Crash: Businesses could face an internet meltdown as more people log on at peak times during the London 2012 Olympic Games

The document reads: ‘It is possible
that internet services may be slower during the Games or, in very severe
cases, there may be drop-outs due to an increased number of people
accessing the internet.

‘In
addition, internet service providers may introduce data caps during
peak times to try and spread the loading and give a more equal service
to their entire customer base.

‘However, this has not yet been confirmed by these ISPs and we hope to have more information nearer to Games time.’

Mobile phone coverage could also be disrupted, the document warns.

‘Additional capacity and coverage for mobile phone networks is being put in around Games venues,’ it says.

Congestion: It is feared the London 2012 Olympics will cause not only transport disruption but also problems online

Congestion: It is feared the London 2012 Olympics will cause not only transport disruption but also problems online

‘This will overlay the existing coverage provision and existing customers can expect a ‘normal’ service during Games-time.

‘However, at times of peak demand it is unavoidable that mobile networks may be slowed down by higher volumes of traffic.

‘Voice,
email and low-data traffic are unlikely to be affected, but it may be
difficult to download larger content such as files or images.’

The government has encouraged London
businesses to let staff work from home or stagger their shifts to ease
congestion on the transport network during the Games.

But
more people working at home could lead to the risk of them being less
effective due to internet traffic problems, some experts have warned.

Meltdown: The government has encouraged London businesses to let staff work from home but this could add to internet traffic

Meltdown: The government has encouraged London businesses to let staff work from home but this could add to internet traffic

Here’s what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts,
or debate this issue live on our message boards.

The comments below have not been moderated.

Not us, We’ve got unlimited Broadband at 4 x normal speed. And it just goes on and on and on and on – can’t think of the word that means endless and rhymes with chim-chim-eny

The only reason why large amounts of people would be using the internet during the Olympic Games is to escape from the overbearing hype of the games and seek something better. I think DM would be amazed at just how many people in the UK don’t give a damn about them.

Why would they bother?

Log on for what? Most of us aren’t interested because it’s something else (like Aid to India) we can ill afford and i’m not sure anyone who hosts it has ever made a profit.
Why don’t they give it back to Greece and every country contribute…that would help their economy, after all it was theirs in the first place.

If the Olympic Games are such a good idea why hasn’t the last one been serialised ad nauseum by the BBC ?

Oh,…..have no fears ……….you may be sure of it…………..I WON’T be bothering to overload the internet …or anything else…in search of any updates on this complete Drugsfest 2012 FARCE !!!
Fill Your Boots all you clowns who support this over-hyped, over-politicised, over-budget drivel that I don’t EVER remember voting for, but will end up paying in part for.
With luck, it’ll rain torrentially for the three weeks !!!

The Olympics is only of interest to people who like sport and those who have arranged to make lots of money out of it. I don’t know anyone who is in the remotest bit interested in it.

I WILL be using the PUBLIC transport that I’VE paid for in fares and taxes to go to work. I have to do to to earn the money to pay those fares and taxes that have been wasted on these “games”. I might reconsider if Coe pays my REFUND or lays on a VIP BMW for me, or Crowe pays me a £500-£2500 BRIBE NOT to go to work for a few weeks. I WILL also use the Internet whenever I want to, and it won’t be to see any results. Maybe the ordinary public would be more enthusiastic if Coe and his new bigwig mates hadn’t treated us with such contempt and disrespect regarding: nonsense logo and mascots, ballooning budget, allocation and availability of tickets, transport and internet chaos, and even the situation where landlords in East London are evicting existing tenants so they can make a fast buck.

does the dm think poor people from poor countries have the internet?

Will we get a refund on our Broadband bills hahaha. I pay for 10 GB (oops sorry – upto!) but get 1.3 if lucky because I’m rural and too far from the phone exchange. I paid for 1000L of central heating oil last week. The tanker delivered full amounts down the main road and by the time he turned up my lane he could only let me have 130L. Naa, of course not, I’m merely illustrating the stupidity of what phone companies get away with – the only service industry in the country that has such a pricing structure. Rip off.

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