Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic Measures and Restrictions on Cellular Network Traffic in Malaysia

Abstract

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, intensive controls were put in place to prevent the pandemic from spreading. People's habits have been altered by the COVID-19 measures and restrictions imposed such as social distance and lockdown measures. These unexpected changes created a significant impact on cellular networks, such as increased use of online services and content streaming, which increased the burden on wireless networks. This research work is basically a case study that aims to examine and investigate cellular network performance, including upload speed, download speed, and latency, during two periods (MCO, CMCO) in three different regions, including Kuala Lumpur, Selangor (Cheras), and Johor Bahru, to observe the effects of lockdown enforcement and other restrictions in Malaysia on cellular network traffic. We used the phone application Speedtest™ as a tool for data collection within different times during the day, considering the peak times, including morning, evening, and night times. The research findings show how COVID-19 has affected internet traffic in Malaysia significantly. This research would help perspective developers and companies to better understand and be prepared for tough times and higher load on cellular networks in future pandemics such as COVID-19.

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