- 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 a 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.
While 4G still accounts for the majority of mobile data traffic, 5G data use grew by more than half (53%) this year. 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.
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 (5GSA) from at least one mobile network. Ofcom have derived this insight from reports generated from the mobile network operators, which indicates that O2 has full 5G coverage in nearly two-thirds of the country, and Vodafone and EE are at around 50%.
Natalie Black, Ofcom’s Group Director for Infrastructure and Connectivity, stated: “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.
The launch of Map Your Mobile – a new postcode checker for EE, Vodafone, Three and O2 available at www.ofcom.org.uk/mobile.
Over a million households hang up on landlines
More than a million households gave up 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 not get “decent” fixed line or wireless broadband. “Decent” broadband in this context is defined as a download speed of at least 10 Mbit/s and an upload speed of at least 1 Mbit/s.
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. Pricing may be a factor.
