Apple iOS 5 release puts broadband networks under record strain
Traffic exceeds Wimbledon and England World Cup football matches...
Demand for iOS 5, Apple's new operating system for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, has put BT's networks under record strain.
The iPhone 4S ships with iOS 5, the latest version of Apple's mobile operating systemPhoto: Apple
BT said traffic levels on its UK broadband network were at an all-time high on Wednesday, as people downloaded the newly released Apple iOS 5.
The release of the OS generated some 80Gbps additional traffic on the network and saw demand exceed that during Wimbledon and England World Cup football matches.
John Petter, MD consumer for BT Retail, said in a statement: "Over the last two nights we've seen the highest ever traffic levels over BT Retail's broadband network in the UK, with unprecedented demand for Apple's new iPhone operating system.
"I'm happy to say the network coped fantastically well, with negligible congestion for broadband users."
Among the features new to iOS 5 is Notification Center, a single hub for all notifications including text messages and calendar alerts. Other additions include Newsstand, a home for users' magazine and newspaper subscriptions, and better Twitter integration, allowing users to sign in once and then tweet directly from any Twitter-enabled app, such as Safari or YouTube.