Britain’s broadband habits are changing. Our network data shows us how!

A new Fortnite update drops. The Champions League kicks off. Millions of people log on for work, school and shopping. Millions more stream the latest must-watch series or head online for Black Friday deals. Often, all at the same time.

That’s modern internet life. And our network data shows just how quickly it’s changing.

Full Fibre usage across the Openreach network increased by 37% in the first half of 2026, compared with the same period last year.

That tells us something important: people aren’t just using more data, they’re increasingly relying on Full Fibre to do more online, more reliably and with fewer frustrations.

Across the UK, Openreach's full fibre network now covers more than 23 million homes and businesses, and every week more people are making the switch from older broadband technologies.

And it’s not hard to see why. Today's typical households often have several people online at the same time - streaming, gaming, video calling, shopping or working. Full fibre is built for that world.

Our data shows that gaming remains one of the biggest drivers of demand. Major updates for popular titles, such as Fortnite, can trigger huge spikes in activity as players race to download new content.

Live sport is another. Millions of people now stream matches, tournaments and events, expecting every moment to arrive without buffering or disruption, whether they're watching on a TV, tablet or mobile.

But this story isn't just about how much data is moving across our network.

It's about trust.

People expect their broadband to be there when it matters. Whether that's a family settling down to watch a major sporting event, someone joining an important meeting, or a gamer waiting for a download to finish, nobody wants interruptions.

That's why our teams monitor the network. We're constantly looking ahead, analysing trends and planning for future demand so we're ready for whatever comes next.

It's a huge responsibility.

During major national events, our network carries tens of petabytes of data. That's an enormous amount of information moving across the country.

To put that into perspective, just one petabyte is equal to one million gigabytes - enough to stream millions of hours of high-definition video.

But the scale isn't the most important thing.

What really matters is what that connectivity makes possible.

As we continue to ‘Connect the Nation’, it helps families stay close, businesses grow, students learn, communities share experiences and households get on with everyday life without having to think about whether their broadband can keep up.

And because our network is available through hundreds of communications providers, people can choose the broadband provider that's right for them.

Visit the Openreach Fibre Checker to see whether Full Fibre is available at your address and discover what a future-ready connection could mean for your home or business.