Australians are falling further in love with faster internet, with more users downloading more data than ever before.
Figures published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show record downloads in the last three months of 2012, with data topping 550,000 terabytes for the first time in any quarter.
That's an increase of 33 per cent compared with the June 2012 quarter, and up significantly from 345,518 terabytes during the last three months of 2011.
“The growth in data downloads is consistent with factors such as increased subscriber numbers, the continuing move away from dial-up, and the emergence of technologies that enable faster internet,” said Diane Braskic, from the ABS.
“Throughout 2012, the number of internet subscribers increased five per cent to a total of almost 12.2 million.”
That figure is based on internet service provider customers - and does not accurately represent the overall number of internet users, which is likely to be much higher.
For example, a recent report by the Australian Communications and Media Authority showed 93 per cent of Australians used the internet in the 12 months to July 2012.
Today's ABS figures revealed that by the end of 2012, 98 per cent of Australian internet connections were broadband, with 49 per cent delivered through mobile and fixed wireless methods.
Just two per cent of all internet connections were via the old dial-up system, which in 2006 was the most prevalent.
The figures were released as the Coalition unveiled its alternative to Labor's National Broadband Network, which is under construction.
Opposition communications spokesman Malcolm Turnbull revealed plans for a $29.5 billion fibre network with download speeds of between 25 and 100 megabits per second (mps) by late 2016 and between 50 and 100 mps by 2019.
Labor says its plans will cost $44 billion but offer speeds of 100mps.
The ABS data showed that 1.6 million Australian internet subscribers already used speeds of 24mps or greater, up 13 per cent from June 2012.
But the majority of subscribers have speeds of between eight and 24mps.
Search engine giant Google said despite the surge in internet usage, some local businesses were still reluctant to set up an online presence.
