Download speed increase

Since the first week of November Skype shows an increased download speed. Previously it fluctuated around 500 downloads per minute. Now: 1400 downloads per minute. Almost triple speed since November 5!
I looked at my other data to see if there are other signs, but they are quite contradictory:

• Concurrent users online shows a very strong growth, and we could even reach 15 million very soon.
• Number of purchase orders doesn’t seem to have an increased growth pattern.
• There is since September a downward trend in Skype.com website visits.
  

I didn’t notice any special Skype “event” that could explain this increase in downloads and active users.

What other reasons could explain the growth?

• The economical crisis could be one motivation for people to use the “free calls” from Skype.
• Perhaps the “Obama Election campaign” is another explanation of the phenomenon: indeed some “Obama teams” used Skype, see the Skype blogs: US Elections: Skype gets out the vote.