Short-Term Internet Network Traffic Patterns in Greece: A High-Frequency Time-Series Analysis

Constantinos Challoumis; Konstantinos Mavrommatis

doi:10.46604/ijeti.2026.16357

Authors

Constantinos Challoumis Department of Accounting and Finance, Faculty of Economics and Management, Philips University, Strovolos, Cyprus/ Department of Business Administration, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece/ Department of Marketing and Communication, Athens University of Economics and Business, Athens, Greece/ Department of Informatics and Computer Engineering, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece
Konstantinos Mavrommatis Department of Informatics and Computer Engineering, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46604/ijeti.2026.16357

Keywords:

Internet traffic, time-series analysis, high-frequency data, diurnal patterns

Abstract

This study examines short-term Internet traffic patterns in Greece within the context of time-series dynamics and digital infrastructure behavior, aiming to identify temporal structures, daily cycles, and variability in network traffic. Using high-frequency data collected at 5-minute intervals over three months, this study adopts a multi-scale time-series analysis approach to investigate short-term Internet traffic dynamics. The analysis aggregates traffic data at hourly and daily levels and applies descriptive statistical analyses and visualization techniques, including hourly aggregation, daily averages, boxplots, and heatmaps. The findings reveal a strong and consistent diurnal pattern, with minimum traffic during the early morning hours (02:00–05:00) and peak demand in the evening (18:00–21:00). Inbound and outbound traffic exhibit near-perfect symmetry, indicating balanced network flows. Although mean traffic remains stable, significant short-term fluctuations and increased variability during peak periods are observed, highlighting both the stability and the dynamic nature of network behavior.

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