Double-digit traffic growth on race days
Yettel’s network data shows that mobile data traffic around Lake Balaton rose by nearly 17% on Saturday and over 13% on Sunday versus the preceding weekend.
Notably, the increase during Ultrabalaton exceeded typical weekend patterns. On both Saturday and Sunday, data usage was already 30–32% higher than on Friday, whereas the same difference was only around 15% on the weekend prior to the event.
The data also highlight a rise in international roaming usage, underlining the race’s global appeal. During Ultrabalaton, roaming users from 64 countries were recorded in the area. Visitors connected to the network from across the world including Belgium, Germany, the United States, Brazil, Japan, and South Africa.
Siófok and Balatonfüred lead in data traffic
Balatonfüred, hosting both the start and finish of the race, emerged as a key hotspot, accounting for nearly one-fifth (19.4%) of all mobile data traffic around Lake Balaton during the weekend. From the individual start on Friday morning through to the arrival of the final finishers on Sunday, the town remained at the heart of the event. However, the highest data traffic was recorded in Siófok, which generated 27.7% of total mobile data usage around the lake during Ultrabalaton.
Other high-traffic locations included Keszthely (9.2%), Balatonalmádi (8.7%), Balatonboglár (7.3%), and Balatonföldvár (6.9%), each contributing a significant share of regional traffic.
Network prepared for peak demand
Data from large-scale events such as Ultrabalaton not only illustrate usage trends but also provide valuable input for network planning. In recent years, Yettel has invested nearly HUF 100 billion in upgrading its mobile network to ensure stable, high-capacity service during peak tourism periods and major events attracting crowds.
Building on experience from previous years, the company implements enhanced network monitoring and capacity management during such occasions to ensure that increased demand for both data and voice services can be handled smoothly and without disruption.
While the Lake Balaton region typically experiences its highest network load during the summer months, major sporting events like the NN Ultrabalaton – significant both nationally and internationally – also require elevated network readiness. This ensures seamless mobile connectivity for runners, organizers, and spectators alike.
The analysis compares traffic data from base stations covering the Ultrabalaton route during a typical April Friday-Sunday period with the data from the race weekend. All data were processed in anonymized and aggregated form.