England’s incredible World Cup win against Mexico in the early hours of Monday morning led to an unprecedented boom in mobile phone and internet usage.
Figures from VodafoneThree show huge data traffic increases at peak time during the key matches, with the boom during the Mexico match particularly notable.
Broadband usage tripled between 3 and 4am, as Brits tuned in to the delayed match, with mobile data usage doubling between 4 and 5am as those fans who went out to watch the game shared pictures and video of their joy with friends watching or waking up elsewhere.
Though the Mexico game saw the biggest boost, England’s last 32 win against DR Congo also saw a spike of 30% compared to an average Wednesday night commute in June.
Meanwhile, broadband traffic had a 9% increase as customers watched at home, in the office or at the local.
Andrea Dona, chief network officer, VodafoneThree, said that their network was coping well with the unusual usage patterns caused by Harry Kane and the team’s bid for glory.
‘Across the World Cup, our network has been providing fast, strong and reliable coverage whatever time of the day the game is shown here in the UK,’ she said.
England are now set to continue their quest for a first World Cup win since 1966 against Norway on Saturday night, with a win sure to provoke more online celebrations.
‘As England fans prepare for the big match at the weekend, we continue to ensure our customers have the coverage they need to enjoy the occasion,’ Andrea added.
‘Whether it’s streaming the match, sharing their thoughts on social or discussing the result with friends and family, it’s all part of our commitment to building the UK’s best network.’