People commuting more and going to bed earlier, Virgin Media O2 data shows

Britons returned to the office and went to bed earlier in 2024, according to new data from Virgin Media O2.

The telecoms giant said anonymised and aggregated data from the O2 mobile network showed commuting had increased during 2024, with about 48% of people heading to the office five days a week.

Meanwhile, the firm said Virgin Media O2 broadband data suggests they are increasingly going to bed earlier, with network traffic in 2024 starting to drop off from 9.20pm – twenty minutes earlier than in 2020.

The same data also showed they appeared to be getting up earlier, with network traffic beginning to rise from 6.20am, fifteen minutes earlier than in 2020.

Elsewhere in the company’s data, broadband usage in general rose 8.1% in 2024, with online gaming a key factor in the rise, and a bumper year of sport including the Euros and the Olympics also contributed to streaming, mobile network and TV viewing figure spikes.

The firm said mobile data usage rose 9% this year overall.

Jeanie York, chief technology officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “It was another record-breaking year across our mobile and fixed networks, as our customers continue to use more data than ever before.

“To meet this growing demand, we are continuing to invest and innovate to provide vital connectivity that underpins how our customers work, rest and play.

“This connectivity is clearly playing such a central role in people’s lives and our investment ensures Brits have the experience that they expect whenever and wherever they are​.”