- UK mobile data use climbs to over 1.2 billion gigabytes each month
- Mobile networks delivered ‘full 5G’ to 83% of the UK to meet rising demand
- Full-fibre rollout continues, while Starlink increases customers by more than a quarter
The UK is an increasingly data-hungry nation, with mobile networks rushing to roll out ‘full 5G’ to keep up, according to Ofcom’s latest annual report on mobile and broadband infrastructure.
Ofcom’s annual Connected Nations report finds that Brits used nearly a fifth (18%) more mobile data in 2025 than the previous year, totalling over 1.2 billion GB each month.
That’s the equivalent of streaming 400 million football matches in HD, watching 315 billion TikToks, or sending 1.3 quadrillion text-only WhatsApp messages [1].
While 4G still accounts for the majority of mobile data traffic, 5G data use grew by more than half (53%) this year [2].
To keep up, mobile networks are deploying ‘full 5G’, also known as ‘5G standalone’, providing users with a faster, better, and more powerful experience. Unlike ordinary 5G, which still depends on parts of the 4G network, ‘full 5G’ runs on a separate, dedicated network, providing 5G end-to-end.[3]
Ofcom’s report - which includes new and exclusive data on full 5G coverage for the first time - reveals that 83% of UK has access to full 5G from at least one mobile network.[4]
Natalie Black, Ofcom’s Group Director for Infrastructure and Connectivity, said: “The UK’s demand for data continues to grow as we live increasingly connected lives.
“For years, operators have been delivering 5G services while using old 4G networks to do most of the legwork. But now, the race to deliver the UK’s full 5G future is on.”
The report, which covers the full range of the UK’s communications networks, also contains other key findings, including:
Time to Map Your Mobile
Overall 5G coverage outdoors is available from at least one operator in 97% of the UK - up from 95% last year. It ranges from 64% to 89% between the mobile networks nationally.
But what matters most is the service you get where you live and work. That’s why this year we launched Map Your Mobile – a new postcode checker available at www.ofcom.org.uk/mobile.
It is the most comprehensive mobile comparison tool for comparing mobile coverage and performance to be made available in the UK, and is a must-use before taking out or renewing a contract, or when moving house.
Over a million households hang up on landlines
More than a million households pulled the plug on their landline over the past year, in a trend that could one day see the traditional home phone become a thing of the past.
Although over 17 million landlines remain, people may increasingly be using services like WhatsApp, or their mobile network, to make calls.
Satellite broadband blasts off
2025 has seen a surge in satellite broadband, with Starlink increasing their UK customers to over 100,00 for the first time.
Starlink connections rose by over a quarter, from around 87,000 to over 110,000. A majority of these were in rural areas and more than 12,000 were in places that can’t get decent fixed line or wireless broadband [5].
Fibre’s flying – but many are still not making the most of it
The rapid rollout of full fibre broadband in the UK continues, with 78% of homes (23.7 million) now having access, up from 20.7 million (69%) last year.
But while using fibre optic cables all the way to the home instead of copper lines means much faster, more reliable broadband, less than half of those with access sign up.
Despite fibre take up increasing from 35% to 42% this year, millions are still missing out on a broadband upgrade that could mean buffer-free streaming, seamless gaming, and saying goodbye to awkward freezes during video calls.
Taking full-fibre and cable networks together, 26.4 million homes (87%) now have access to a gigabit-capable broadband connection, over half (56%) of which actually take it up.
Notes to editors:
- 1,257 petabytes (PB) equivalent to over 1.23 billion GB. Examples of equivalent use are illustrative and provided to give a sense of scale. Actual data use varies depending on factors such as video resolution, device settings and message content. Football games: estimates are based on 560 million hours of high-definition TV (assuming 5Mbps required bitrate as per BBC estimates), or nearly 400 million streams of a 90-minute football game. WhatsApp text only: Over 1 quadrillion WhatsApp messages (1,260,000,000,000,000, assuming 1KB per WhatsApp message as per Orange’s estimates) Tiktok: 315 billion TikTok videos (assuming 4MB per TikTok as per Firsty’s estimates).
- The rise in subscribers to Fixed Wireless Access services (in which broadband is delivered over mobile networks) remains a significant contributor to the overall growth of data traffic on mobile networks.
- ‘Full 5G’ is a synonym for 5G standalone. Many of these sites may still be sharing spectrum with 4G services.
- Reporting from the mobile network operators indicates that O2 has full 5G coverage in nearly two-thirds of the country, and Vodafone and EE are at around 50%.
- Decent broadband is defined as a download speed of at least 10 Mbit/s and an upload speed of at least 1 Mbit/s under the Universal Service Obligation.
- All mobile coverage figures cited are based on high confidence levels, which is associated with around 80% probability of 5G coverage availability for areas outside of premises.