# Broadband-Racing Birds South African Pigeon Takes Down Internet in Data Delivery Dash By Brian G Randles | Published 2009-09-10 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/south-african-race-internet References: [thisisherd](http://www.thisisherd.com/2009/09/winston-pigeon-social-media-success.html) & [news.bbc](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8248056.stm) A South African pigeon named Winston beat (and by beat I mean absolutely obliterated) the [ADSL African broadband Internet connection](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/comcast-xfinity-speed) when the two message-carrying devices were pitted against each other in a race to see who could deliver a 4 GB message faster to a specific destination. The South African pigeon carried a [USB stick](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/speedtest-pulse) 60 miles in a about 2 hours. In that amount of time, four percent of the same message was sent across the ADSL line. A victory for [carrier pigeons](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smart-bird-feeders) everywhere, but a sad reality for the rest of Africa. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.6/10 - Popularity: 20% | Activity: 21% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) > [Internet](https://www.trendhunter.com/internet) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Animal-driven Data Delivery:** The use of animals to deliver messages, such as carrier pigeons, creates an opportunity for innovation in animal training and data delivery technology. - **Alternative Data Transmission Methods:** The success of pigeon delivery over traditional broadband highlights a market opportunity for alternative data transmission methods. - **Low-tech Solutions for High-tech Problems:** Embracing low-tech solutions like carrier pigeons may provide alternative options for high-tech industries facing connectivity challenges. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Telecommunications:** The success of pigeon-based data delivery presents a market opportunity for alternative telecommunications methods in areas with limited connectivity. - **Transportation and Logistics:** Embracing animal-driven transportation and logistics may present a cost-effective and efficient alternative in some industries. - **Animal Training:** The increased use of animals in tech-related areas like data delivery highlights an opportunity for innovation in animal training and behavior modification technologies. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Ultra-Speedy Internet Packages](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sky-broadband-gigafast.md) - [Record-Breaking Optical Fibers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/highspeed-optical-fiber.md) - [Ultra-Fast Network Service Bundles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/frontier-communications.md) - [Ultra-Efficient Fiber Internet Services](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fiber-internet-service.md) - [Bird-Shaped USB Flash Drives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pinge.md) - [Avian African Aircraft Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aircraft-concepts.md) - [Heavy-Duty Hybrid Drones](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hybrid-drones.md) - [Bird-Diverting Robotic Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/robotic-system.md) - [Advanced Avian-Inspired Routers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dlink-aquila-pro-ai-m95.md)