Mobile data usage was up at SW19, while tennis fans across the UK took to the internet to share in the excitement.
Fans at Wimbledon drove record demand on The Nation’s Network*, with usage increasing versus last year, as fans streamed matches, messaged friends and phoned home to celebrate British successes in the early rounds.
Demand peaked during the fourth set of Cam Norrie’s gripping five-set victory over Chilean Nicolas Jarry, with more than 3,000 gigabytes of Vodafone network data used across the 4hr 27m match – enough to stream more than 600 HD films.
Almost half a million (416,000) calls were made from the All England Club Grounds during the fortnight, as fans at The Championships shared their excitement in real time.
It wasn’t just the tennis that had Brits talking, however. Google Trends data revealed a surge in curiosity around the nation’s homegrown stars, with terms like “Sonay Kartal tattoos”, “Jack Draper hair” and “Cam Norrie accent” all ranking among the top searches**.
The nation went Wimbledon-wild during the last two weeks, as the success of homegrown heroes inspired fans across the country. Nowhere was that more apparent than in SW19; standout performances from Britain’s Jack Draper, Katie Boulter, Cam Norrie and Emma Raducanu saw notable spikes in demand on The Nation’s Network, as fans turned to their devices to share their courtside excitement with friends and family.
Wimbledon’s iconic middle Sunday proved to be the busiest day for Vodafone’s network, with 6,100 gigabytes of data used by visitors across the Grounds. Interest peaked during Cam Norrie’s gripping five-set victory against Chile’s Nicolas Jarry, with a huge 3,000 gigabytes of data being consumed across the epic four-and-a-half-hour match – enough to stream more than 600 HD films.
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Yet, it was the opening day that really got Brits talking, with Katie Boulter and Sonay Kartal’s impressive victories against Paula Badosa and Jelena Ostapenko helping to drive over 46,000 voice calls, as fans phoned home. Wimbledon fever extended well beyond the grounds, with more than 10,000 Brits streaming Carlos Alcaraz’s nail-biting five-set victory over 38-year-old Fabio Fognini on their phones during work hours – joining traditional TV audiences in the moment, according to insights from Barb.
It wasn’t just the tennis that kept the nation hooked, however, as Google Trends revealed a surge in curiosity around the nation’s stars. Searches for “Sonay Kartal tattoos” soared by a massive 9,900%, while “Jack Draper hair” and “Cam Norrie accent” ranked among the nation’s top searches for each player, showing Brits’ interests in their homegrown heroes beyond the court.
And it wouldn’t be Wimbledon without the weather taking centre stage, with searches for “Wimbledon heat” soaring by 683% as Brits braced themselves for the sweltering conditions. Meanwhile, the age-old debate between “Henman Hill” and “Murray Mound” reignited online once again, seeing the Englishman coming out on top this year, with 58% more searches for the ‘Hill’ versus the ‘Mound’.
The Championships continued to fuel the nations’ excitement, with searches for “tennis court nearby” more than doubling – up 120% since the event began – as fans were inspired to pick up a racket themselves.
In total, 548,770 tennis fans attended this year’s Championships – an all-time attendance record. Together, fans consumed more than 69,000 gigabytes of data across the two weeks.
Iain Milligan, Network Development & Infrastructure Director, VodafoneThree,said: “From music festivals to Centre Court, connecting fans to iconic British moments is exactly what The Nation’s Network is built for. As Official Connectivity Partner to The Championships, we proudly powerSW19with 5G Standalone connectivity, delivering faster speeds and greater coverage for fans acrossthe grounds. In turn, allowing them to share their favourite moments with friends, call home to fully dissect the match orhit search to find out more about their favourite stars.”
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As Official Connectivity Partner to The Championships, Vodafone – The Nation’s Network – has brought its reliable, award-winning*** network to SW19, ensuring fans can stay connected to the action and enjoy the very best of the British summer with their friends. Vodafone enabled its 5G Standalone network at The Championships for the first time in 2023 and since then, it has delivered faster 5G speeds and greater coverage for those on and around the grounds.
Beyond the courts, Vodafone is helping friends stay connected this summer. Its latest campaign spotlightsclassic British pastimes – from TV presenter Roman Kemp enjoying an afternoon at the pub with mates to a student’s joyful reunion at the train station – all of which celebratehow The Nation’s Network bringsfriends together to enjoy the very best of the British summer.
VodafoneThree is committed to delivering a new era of connectivity. With an £11 billion investment over eight years, VodafoneThree will be able to build a network that transforms the nation, delivering more reliable, quality connectivity to all corners of the UK.
Stay up to date with the latest news from VodafoneThree by following us on LinkedIn and Twitter/X.
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Notes to Editors
* The Nation’s Network: Vodafone UK has been supporting the nation since 1984, through to 2024’s major summer events. It is the nation’s most valuable brand, by “Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable UK Brands Report 2023”.Verification & full terms.
**Data Sources: all data referring to network usage and calls made is provided by Vodafone’s network team. All data on search terms is provided by Google Trends. The timescale for both data sources is Monday 30June – Saturday 13July 2025, unless otherwise specified.
***Reliable, award-winning network: The UK relies on Vodafone as a network provider as it: i) powers critical national infrastructure and 77% of emergency services, ii) has coverage in 99% of UK homes, iii) covers 96% of the UK and iv) has won numerous awards. See full details and awards on our Network page.
Vodafone UK is a technology communications company that connects people, businesses and devices to help our customers benefit from digital innovation. Our services span mobile, fixed-line connections, home and office broadband, and the Internet of Things (IoT).
We have a strong track record as a tech pioneer, making the UK’s first mobile phone call, sending the first text message, and making the UK’s first live holographic call using 5G in 2018. We were the first to start carrying live 5G traffic from a site in Salford, Greater Manchester and now have 5G in locations across Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain as well as the UK. Meanwhile, our 4G network coverage currently reaches over 99% of the UK population.
Today, Vodafone serves more than 20 million unique full fibre premises in the UK through partnerships with CityFibre and Openreach.
For more information about Vodafone UK, please visit: www.vodafone.co.uk
