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This year, Openreach is celebrating 20 years. In that time, the use of full fibre broadband in the UK has grown by 40%. This milestone anniversary arrives at a crucial time with digital consumption at all-time highs. Currently, the typical UK broadband user consumes 22.1GB of data each day.

Meanwhile, the overall broadband landscape has significantly transformed, with usage rising 4.8% in 2025 alone. October 2025 marked a historic turning point when Full Fibre connections finally overtook legacy copper broadband technologies. This shift represents a remarkable evolution for Openreach, which has developed from providing basic internet connectivity two decades ago. Where it now delivers ultrafast speeds of up to 1.8Gbps today.

Furthermore, the dramatic increase in data consumption reflects changing consumer habits across the country. This is particularly due to smart home adoption, remote working requirements, and the growing demands of online gaming. December emerged as the peak usage month, notably coinciding with a major Fortnite update that drove exceptional network traffic.

As Openreach looks toward the future. The company has set ambitious targets, including connecting 25 million premises by the end of 2026. This will ultimately reach 30 million by 2030 — provided regulatory support continues to facilitate this nationwide digital transformation.

Openreach Celebrates 20 Years with Record Data Usage

Openreach’s network data has revealed unprecedented levels of broadband consumption as the company marks two decades of service. The figures showcase how digital habits continue to evolve rapidly across the UK with striking growth in data usage.

UK broadband usage rises 4.8% in 2025

Broadband consumption across Openreach’s national network climbed by 4.8% throughout 2025, reaching a staggering total of 108,599 Petabytes [1]. It shows sufficient capacity to stream more than 10 million hours of high-definition television every single day [1]. This increase follows a larger growth of 10.5% observed in 2024 [2]. This suggest a potential stabilisation in the growth curve whilst still demonstrating the nation’s insatiable appetite for connectivity.

The data indicates consistent increases in usage patterns across both urban and rural locations. Ofcom’s Connected Nations report, the average monthly data consumption per connection now stands at 583GB. This is across all technologies and confirms the trends identified in Openreach’s network analysis.

December and Fortnite update mark peak usage moments

The final month of 2025 established itself as a record-breaking period, with December accounting for 10,317 Petabytes of data. Nevertheless, the single busiest day occurred on 30 November 2025. This coincides with a major Fortnite update that triggered an exceptional surge in traffic.

Throughout the year, several notable spikes in demand emerged:

• 21 February: A substantial Fortnite patch drove traffic to 372 Petabytes, equivalent to streaming HD Netflix for over 1.5 million years nonstop
• 5 January: High weekend usage resulted in 357 Petabytes transmitted
• 7-8 June: Fortnite Patch 36.00 generated consecutive days of elevated traffic at 351PB and 349PB respectively

Daily consumption patterns reveal that peak usage consistently occurs between 8pm and 10pm. This is when households simultaneously engage in streaming, gaming, and connecting multiple devices. This evening concentration highlights how digital services have become firmly embedded in domestic routines.

Full Fibre now surpasses legacy broadband technologies

In a watershed moment for British telecommunications, Full Fibre usage overtook older fixed broadband technologies in late October 2025 [1]. This historic milestone reflects not only increased availability but also growing consumer awareness of the advantages offered by fibre-to-the-premises connections.

Currently, approximately eight million homes and businesses utilise Openreach full fibre broadband, with 21 million premises now able to connect to this advanced infrastructure [3]. The typical Full Fibre customer consumes an average of 22.1GB daily, which equates to participating in roughly 40 hours of video conferencing calls [1].

Data usage on the full fibre broadband network alone experienced a dramatic 35% increase between January and June 2025 compared with the same period in 2024 [4]. Consequently, Openreach data shows that consumers with Full Fibre connections consume significantly more data than those using legacy technologies, with Ofcom reporting an average monthly usage of 738GB for full-fibre connections [2].

As Openreach commemorates its 20th anniversary, these statistics underscore how deeply integrated high-speed connectivity has become in everyday life. The company’s journey from providing basic broadband to delivering the UK’s most extensive Full Fibre network reflects broader shifts in how British society works, communicates and entertains itself in the digital age.

Full Fibre Usage Surges 40% Across the UK

Dramatic changes in UK broadband consumption have emerged as Openreach marks its 20th anniversary, with full fibre broadband usage exploding across the network. The telecommunications giant has reported that data usage on its Full Fibre network surged by 40% in 2025 [6], representing one of the most significant shifts in consumer behaviour since the company began tracking broadband metrics.

Average user consumes 22.1GB daily

The typical Full Fibre customer now processes 22.1GB of data every day [6], equivalent to participating in approximately 40 hours of video conferencing calls. This substantial daily consumption reflects how deeply embedded high-speed connectivity has become in modern British households, supporting everything from remote work to entertainment streaming.

Throughout 2025, Full Fibre connections consistently demonstrated higher data consumption than older technologies. While Ofcom reports that average monthly data usage across all broadband technologies stands at 583GB [5], this figure increases dramatically to 738GB for Full Fibre connections [5]. This marked difference highlights how advanced connectivity enables and encourages more data-intensive activities.

The copper switch-off, scheduled for completion by December 2025 [4], has further accelerated migration to Full Fibre services. BT Openreach has confirmed its plans to retire copper services entirely by year-end [4], driving both residential and business customers toward fibre alternatives that offer superior speed and reliability.

Full Fibre overtakes copper in October 2025

October 2025 marked a historic milestone in British telecommunications history as Full Fibre connections officially surpassed older fixed broadband technologies [6]. This watershed moment came as Full Fibre connections reached 11.56 million nationwide [5], compared to 10.60 million FTTC connections.

The crossover point represents the culmination of years of infrastructure investment and signals a fundamental shift in how British homes and businesses connect to the internet. Prior to this transition, Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC) had dominated the UK broadband landscape for more than a decade.

Connexion statistics reveal that Full Fibre adoption accelerated at its fastest rate since nationwide rollouts began [5], with Openreach alone adding 551,000 new FTTP customers in a single quarter [5]. Moreover, independent providers contributed an additional 193,000 connections during the same period, lifting their collective Full Fibre base to 3.02 million subscribers [5].

Ofcom data supports Openreach trends

Independent verification from Ofcom has corroborated the trends identified by Openreach on full fibre broadband. The regulator’s Connected Nations 2025 report confirms that 78% or 23.7 million residential premises across the UK now have access to a Full Fibre broadband network [7].

Take-up rates for Full Fibre services have likewise shown substantial growth, increasing by eight percentage points from 35% in July 2024 to 43% in July 2025 [1]. This acceleration suggests growing consumer awareness of Full Fibre benefits, including reliability, speed, and future-proofing.

Industry analysts at ThinkBroadband reported in September 2025 that Full Fibre coverage had reached 80% of UK premises [8], with Openreach leading deployments at 58% coverage [8]. Current projections indicate that 85% coverage will be achieved by March 2026, with 95% expected by April 2027 [8].

The increasing prevalence of network overbuild—where multiple providers deploy infrastructure in the same areas—has intensified competition while potentially complicating the path to universal coverage. As Openreach continues its 20th anniversary celebrations, the company’s focus has clearly shifted from legacy technologies toward building and connecting the digital infrastructure that will serve Britain for decades to come.

Openreach Traces Two Decades of Broadband Evolution

The technological journey of Openreach spans two transformative decades, reflecting Britain’s broader evolution from basic connectivity to world-class digital infrastructure. Tracing the company’s development provides a fascinating snapshot of how rapidly telecommunications has advanced since the early 2000s.

From dial-up to 1.8Gbps: a timeline of milestones

Openreach was officially formed on 11th January 2006, although its 20th anniversary commemorates the broader evolution of BT’s infrastructure division [9]. At its inception, ADSL offering speeds up to 8Mbps was standard, subsequently followed by ADSL2+ with speeds reaching 24Mbps [1]. The first significant step toward ultrafast broadband came in 2008 with initial Full Fibre deployment in Ebbsfleet, Kent [9].

Trials of Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) technology began in 2009, initially delivering speeds up to 40Mbps [9]. By 2011, Openreach had expanded its FTTC footprint to cover 5 million premises [9]. The year 2017 marked a turning point with the launch of Openreach’s Fibre First programme, which accelerated FTTP deployment from just 420,000 premises [9].

Speed capabilities have increased remarkably—from 80Mbps VDSL2 in 2012 to 330Mbps GPON in 2017, followed by 550Mbps and 1Gbps options in 2019 [1]. Most recently, in early 2024, Openreach launched 1.8Gbps service tiers [8].

Key infrastructure rollouts and technology shifts

The pace of technological deployment has accelerated steadily over two decades. After reaching 5 million premises with superfast broadband in 2011, Openreach achieved the milestone of one million FTTP premises by October 2019 [9]. Salisbury became the first “fibre city” with comprehensive FTTP coverage in 2020 [9].

Progress thereafter has been impressive—4 million premises received access by April 2021, increasing to 9.2 million by January 2023 and 16.6 million by January 2025 [9]. Currently, the network reaches 21.1 million premises [9].

Throughout this evolution, Openreach has employed increasingly advanced technologies. Beyond pure fibre rollout, innovations included the introduction of G.fast technology in 2017, offering speeds up to 100Mbps over existing copper connections for distances under 500 metres [5].

This method gave a temporary fix before the full fiber installation.

Legal separation from BT and Fibre First strategy

A pivotal moment came in March 2017 when BT agreed to legally separate Openreach into a distinct company with its own staff, management, purpose and strategy [10]. This followed regulatory pressure from Ofcom, which had ordered the separation in November 2016 amid concerns about fair competition [11].

The separation process culminated on 1st October 2018 with the transfer of over 31,000 employees from BT to Openreach Limited—the largest TUPE transfer in UK corporate history [10]. Under this arrangement, Openreach remains wholly owned by BT Group but operates with greater independence [5].

Shortly thereafter, Openreach announced its ambitious Fibre First programme, initially targeting three million premises by 2020 [12]. This strategy represented a fundamental shift away from reliance on copper-based systems toward future-proof technology [13].

Engineers and Innovation Drive National Connectivity

Behind Openreach’s record-breaking Full Fibre rollout stands an army of skilled engineers whose expertise has shaped Britain’s digital landscape. As the company reflects on its 20th anniversary, the crucial role of its workforce in transforming national connectivity comes into sharp focus.

Clive Selley credits engineers for digital backbone

Openreach Chief Executive Clive Selley has consistently highlighted the workforce’s pivotal contribution to the UK’s digital transformation. “This progress is thanks to our engineers – past and present – whose skill, dedication, and problem solving have connected communities in every corner of the UK,” stated Selley [1]. He emphasised that these professionals have established the “nation’s digital backbone” through two decades of evolving technology challenges.

Every day, approximately 12,000 dedicated engineers tackle complex infrastructure problems to connect customers across Britain [14]. Their efforts have enabled Openreach’s project to become what is widely regarded as the largest and fastest broadband infrastructure build in Europe, with engineers now reaching more than a million new homes every three months [15].

Smart homes, remote work, and gaming fuel demand

The explosion in Full Fibre adoption stems from three key demand drivers that engineers must continually address. First, increasing smart home technology adoption has fundamentally changed how households consume broadband. Second, research shows that faster connections directly correlate with increased remote working capacity, as people with slow connections are less likely to work from home [16].

Third, online gaming creates significant traffic spikes that stretch network capabilities. In previous years, major gaming updates have repeatedly broken traffic records:

• Activision’s Call of Duty updates requiring up to 65GB downloads
• Bungie’s Destiny 2 updates reaching similar 65GB sizes
• Assassin’s Creed Valhalla launches requiring 60GB transfers [17]

Quotes from Openreach leadership and industry experts

Alongside Clive Selley’s recognition of engineers, other industry voices have acknowledged Openreach’s infrastructure achievements. Colin Lees, Chief Technology and Information Officer at Openreach, noted: “We have a team of tech experts working hard behind-the-scenes to make sure there’s enough network capacity for every eventuality” [18].

Government officials have similarly praised the engineering workforce, with one stating: “This is a major milestone on the government’s plan to deliver gigabit broadband to all parts of the UK” [19]. The Accenture-Openreach collaboration has yielded impressive engineering efficiency improvements, resulting in “a 33% reduction in delivery cycle times and an 83% increase in homes passed per week” [14].

Openreach Sets Ambitious Targets for 2026 and Beyond

As Openreach celebrates its 20th anniversary milestone, the company is looking ahead with bold expansion plans for its Full Fibre network across Britain. With half the journey already complete, attention now turns toward ambitious future targets that will reshape the nation’s digital landscape.

25 million premises by end of 2026

Openreach has committed to delivering Full Fibre broadband to 25 million homes and businesses by December 2026 [20]. The company’s build rate continues to accelerate, now reaching approximately 60,000 new premises weekly [6] — equivalent to a town the size of Tunbridge Wells. In fact, this pace means passing another property with gigabit-capable broadband every ten seconds [6].

30 million goal by 2030 with regulatory support

Beyond 2026, Openreach intends to expand its Full Fibre network to as many as 30 million premises by the end of 2030 . Yet, this extended goal depends on maintaining a “supportive economic and regulatory environment” from Ofcom and the UK Government. Currently, Ofcom projections suggest Full Fibre could reach 96% of premises by 2027 with appropriate regulatory backing.

Incentives and pricing strategies to accelerate migration

To boost Full Fibre adoption, Openreach has implemented pricing incentives via its Equinox scheme. Concurrently, the company is escalating costs for copper-based products — with rental prices set to increase by 20% from April 2026 , followed by additional 40% increases in both July and October. These adjustments aim to accelerate migration before the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) shutdown on 31st January 2027.

Conclusion

Openreach’s 20th anniversary truly marks a watershed moment in British telecommunications history. Throughout two decades, the network has transformed from providing basic connectivity to delivering ultrafast speeds of 1.8Gbps. Fundamentally changing how people across the UK work, communicate, and entertain themselves. The historic shift witnessed in October 2025, when Full Fibre connections finally surpassed legacy copper technologies. The change signifies not merely a technical milestone but rather a complete reimagining of national infrastructure.

Data consumption figures undoubtedly tell a compelling story. The average Full Fibre user now processes 22.1GB daily—equivalent to 40 hours of video conferencing. Meanwhile, monthly usage has reached an impressive 738GB per Full Fibre connection, far exceeding the all-technology average of 583GB. These numbers reflect how deeply embedded high-speed connectivity has become. This is particularly due to smart home adoption, remote working requirements, and online gaming demands.

Behind these achievements stands an army of 12,000 dedicated engineers who tackle complex infrastructure challenges daily. Their expertise has established what many consider the largest and fastest broadband infrastructure build in Europe. Accordingly, Openreach’s full fibre broadband rollout now reaches another million homes every three months, an unprecedented pace of digital transformation.

Moving forward

The path forward appears equally ambitious. Openreach plans to connect 25 million homes and businesses by December 2026. They may reach 30 million by 2030, but this will depend a lot on support from regulations.

The company has also implemented strategic pricing incentives. This is to accelerate migration from copper services before the planned Public Switched Telephone Network shutdown in January 2027.

As Openreach celebrates this significant anniversary, its evolution mirrors Britain’s broader digital journey—from dial-up connections to nationwide gigabit-capable infrastructure. The 40% surge in Full Fibre usage in 2025 demonstrates technological progress but also changing consumer expectations about connectivity. Undoubtedly, the foundations laid during these past two decades will shape how British homes and businesses connect for generations.

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