Brits used nearly a fifth (18%) more mobile data in 2025 than the previous year, totalling over 1.2 billion GB each month, according to Ofcom’s annual report.

That’s the equivalent of streaming 400 million football matches (congrats, lads!) in HD, watching 315 billion TikToks, or sending 1.3 quadrillion text-only WhatsApp messages.

While 4G still accounts for the majority of mobile data traffic, 5G data use grew by than half (53%) this year.

To keep up, mobile networks are deploying full 5G, also known as 5G standalone, providing users with what they describe as 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.

Ofcom’s report, which includes 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.

“The UK’s demand for data continues to grow as we live increasingly connected lives,” Natalie Black, Ofcom’s Group Director for Infrastructure and Connectivity, said.

“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.”

Mobile Coverage Expansion

Overall 5G coverage outdoors is now 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.

This year, Ofcom launched Map Your Mobile to help users compare coverage for their home areas, to help consumers ensure they are maximising their mobile coverage where it matters most.

Landlines

More than a million households pulled the plug on their landline over the past year, in a trend that could 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

2025 saw a surge in satellite broadband, with Starlink increasing their UK customers to over 100,000 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 lines or wireless broadband.

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Fibre

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.