Virgin Media UK Reveals Broadband Network Insights for Christmas

Internet, phone and TV provider Virgin Media (O2) has revealed new insights and consumer survey results from their broadband network, which uses data from the end of last year to highlight how customers use their network over Christmas. Suffice to say that traffic on Christmas Day follows a “markedly different pattern” to a typical day, with network activity peaking at 11am, followed by a noticeable drop-off later in the day.

Firstly, in terms of the consumer polling insights – conducted by Strand Partners (collected from a nationally representative sample of unspecified size), some 37% of respondents said the big day would be “catastrophic” if they lost internet access. Despite that, some 52% stated that cooking is the biggest source of Christmas Day stress, while 46% struggle to persuade others to clean up and 40% highlight competitive behaviour as adding to the strain.

Suffice to say that this often results in people looking for digital escape routes. Nearly a quarter of Brits (24%) plan to sneak off to “doomscroll” to escape the tension, while 19% plan to retreat to call or FaceTime/video call a partner or friend who is not present. A further 21% say they will be actively trying to avoid certain relatives altogether.

However, the greatest interest perhaps stems from Virgin Media’s data on network traffic, which reveals some additional insights. On the other hand, it would be nice if the provider included a bit more network data, rather than just their own high-level interpretation of it.

Trends of Virgin Media’s Christmas Broadband Traffic

7am-9am: The screen-first start 

Rather than opting for a lie-in, Brits are up early on Christmas Day, with broadband traffic starting to rise from 6.30am. A third of the nation (31%) start the big day checking social media before seeing if Santa has been, or opening presents. While early-morning usage starts slightly below a typical weekday, it rises rapidly and by 8am is already outstripping average daily traffic. 

9am-10am: Peak present opening 

Between 9am and 10am, broadband traffic rises sharply, as present opening is in full swing across the UK. This year, 21% of households say they are expecting a new phone, and more than a quarter (27%) will be unwrapping new streaming or gaming subscriptions, driving more data consumption as people set up their new devices.  

10am-12pm: Connectivity spike 

By mid to late morning, the Christmas morning broadband rush reaches its peak, with households making video and voice calls to family and friends and setting up new gadgets, pushing traffic on household broadband networks.  

12pm-3pm: The Christmas lunch dip 

Afternoon broadband traffic dips in the early afternoon, with the nation typically sitting down for Christmas lunch between 2pm and 3pm. Many households step away from screens for a walk, board games, or a post-lunch clean-up.  

Evening: On-demand entertainment take-over 

Evening broadband traffic rises sharply again from 5.30pm through the evening as most Brits (68%) say they settle in to stream Christmas TV and films after 4pm. Last Christmas, the evening rush peaked at 9pm, as families tuned into the long-awaited Gavin and Stacey Reunion Christmas Special. Traffic drops off slightly from 10pm as Brits fall asleep on the sofa – with some late-night peaks in upload traffic after 11pm as some post and share Christmas Day content before bed. 

Gareth Lister, Director of Connectivity at VMO2, said:

“Our network traffic paints a clear picture of how the nation spends Christmas Day, showing how Brits rely on connectivity to contact absent friends and family, stream their favourite movies, keep the day running and maintain the peace when festive tensions run high.

With connectivity playing such an important role, it’s vital that families ensure their internet is set up for success. Simple steps such as placing your Wi-Fi router in a central, open location and checking your broadband speed in advance can make a real difference. It’s also worth setting up connected gifts in advance to ensure they are ready to go once opened to ensure nobody is stuck waiting around.”