New broadband data from Virgin Media O2 shows millions of people in the UK are reaching for their phones immediately after waking, with traffic spiking after 6am, 7am and 8am.

Virgin Media O2 said that the broadband analysis, which the company claims is a reliable indicator of connectivity habits across the country, suggests that people reach for their phones to turn off their morning alarms, then immediately begin scrolling.     

Alongside the data analysis, the firm asked the UK public about their morning screentime habits and intentions for the year ahead, revealing that 81% of people reach for their phones first thing most days, with 75% diving straight into social media and over half (52%) catching up on the latest news.

Another one in five (21%) look at the day’s weather forecast, while 18% check for commute disruptions, and 6% scan the stock market before they’re even out of bed.

The research also revealed that 35% of people are looking to reduce screentime as a new year’s resolution for 2025, with three-quarters hoping to improve their mental health, while two-thirds (65%) simply want to sleep better.

However, 27% of people are not confident in meeting their screentime reduction resolution, with half (49%) admitting to previous unsuccessful attempts to reduce screentime, which Virgin Media O2 said backs up the overall uptick of 8.1% in broadband usage over the network last year.  

Around two thirds (65%) said they are worried they’ll miss out or be socially disconnected if they reduce their screentime, while three-quarters said they rely on their devices for everyday tasks, making cutting back more difficult.

Most people agreed that social media is the hardest activity to reduce (78%), followed by messaging apps (75%) and video streaming (68%).

“Our data shows the importance of connectivity to people’s lives and the role it can play in kicking off the day,” said Jeanie York, CTO at Virgin Media O2.

“Millions of people in the UK are privileged enough to have world news at their fingertips before their feet even touch the floor, and we’re proud to be unlocking so many possibilities through our fixed and mobile networks. To meet this growing demand, we are continuing to invest and innovate to provide the vital connectivity our customers rely on.”

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Ofcom’s annual report, released late last year, found that the majority of people in the UK (26%) spend between 11-22 hours a week online, but that more than a fifth (21%) average over thirty hours.

That study also showed a marked gender gap in the nation’s online habits, with women spending 4 hours and 36 minutes daily on smartphones, tablets, and computers, and favouring sites such as Pinterest, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok, while men averaged 4 hours and 3 minutes per day, spending the majority of their time on Quora, X, Reddit, LinkedIn, and YouTube.