- This February half term WiFi usage is set to surge as 77% of parents report their families time online increases during the school holidays[1]
- Experts are issuing a warning to families and reveal the ‘phantom’ devices that could be sabotaging speeds, as the average household now juggles 16 connected gadgets at the same time, with one in 10 homes battling 30 or more devices[3]
- Over 20 million people (38%) are unaware that tech such as video doorbells and smart speakers can slow down speeds even when not in use[2]
- Uswitch explains what phantom devices are and how to ensure your broadband can deal with the increased number of smart devices in homes
As February half term kicks off, household demand for WiFi is set to peak, with more than three quarters (77%) of parents reporting their family’s time online increases during the school holidays[1]. Experts at Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service, are issuing a warning to families that connection issues during busy periods can be caused by the volume of unused devices left running in the background.
These ‘phantom devices’ stay connected to the internet even when they are not in use. They are frequently checking for updates or sending information back and forth to your router. For example, a video doorbell might be quietly uploading high-definition footage to the cloud, using up a large chunk of your WiFi capacity without anyone in the house even touching a button.
New data reveals the average household is now juggling 16 connected devices[3], with one in 10 even having 30 or more devices in their homes competing for bandwidth[3]. More devices means more idle tech and the most common ‘phantoms’ found in UK homes include smart TVs (82%), video doorbells (39%), and smart speakers (39%)[3].
As the devices that are constantly ‘talking’ to your router or uploading content, these are secretly using up bandwidth without households realising. Over 20 million Brits (38%) aren’t even aware that these devices can still slow down your WiFi when not in use[2].
Top 10 phantom devices that could be disrupting your broadband[3]
| No | Device |
|---|---|
| 1 | Smart TV |
| 2 | Video doorbells |
| 3 | Smart speakers |
| 4 | Smart thermostats |
| 5 | Smart plugs |
| 6 | Smart washing machines |
| 7 | Smart smoke alarms |
| 8 | Smart fridges |
| 9 | Robot vacuums |
| 10 | Baby monitors |
Source: The most common smart devices that sit idle and devices that upload video content in homes
Three in five (60%) Brits have been frustrated with their WiFi speeds in the past three months[5], with the average house experiencing frustration with it once a week[5]. Given that usage increases during school holidays amongst the majority of families with children, more frustration is to be expected this week.
While families are most likely to spend their half term using smart TVs (44%), gaming consoles (40%) and tablets (40%)[6], these activities are often fighting for space with 'upload-heavy' tech.
Gadgets like video doorbells (used by 39% of consumers) and baby monitors (used by 11% of consumers) are particularly disruptive because they constantly send large video files to the cloud[3]. This hidden data use eats into the household's bandwidth, leaving less room for streaming and gaming.
Max Beckett, Uswitch broadband expert, explains: “Unused gadgets and sensors are constantly talking to your router in the background, which can clog up your connection and cause frustrating buffering when you are trying to watch a movie or play a game.
“As half term sees a surge in demand across UK households, it is important to know that WiFi struggles are not just caused by too many people being online. Some devices take up bandwidth even when you haven't touched them for days.
“Smart devices are becoming part of our daily lives, but it is easy to forget about old tablets, smart speakers, or smart plugs that are still plugged in and connected to your network.
“Take a moment this week to do a quick digital spring clean. If there is a device you no longer use, or an old piece of tech lying in a drawer that is still switched on, disconnect it from your WiFi or power it down completely.
“A full fibre broadband connection is the safest way to avoid buffering, but simple steps like managing your connected devices and limiting how many people stream high-definition video at the same time can make a huge difference.”
Visit Uswitch.com to check your broadband speeds and compare alternative broadband deals in your area.
ENDS
Notes to editors
Opinium surveyed a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults between 6th - 10th February 2026. Results are weighted to be nationally representative.
- Participants were asked: “Does your household use any of the following devices more during your child’s school holidays” 77% of parents responded that they used at least one device more during the school holidays
- Participants were asked: “Do you understand the following statement to be true or false? Some devices can use broadband even when you are not actively using them.” 38% of respondents didn’t respond with true. 38% of 55 million UK adults is 20.9 million
- Participants were asked: “How many, if any, of the following broadband connected devices does your household have in total? Please think about your household, not just your own devices” and “How many, if any, of these smart devices does your household have in total? Please only think about SMART devices that connect to the internet, not any that are offline. Consider your whole household, not just your own devices” 82% of respondents responded with smart TV, 39% with video doorbells, 39% with smart speakers, 24% with smart thermostats, 21% with smart plugs, 18% with smart washing machines, 18% with smart smoke alarms, 13% with smart fridges, 13% with robot vacuums and 11% with baby monitors. The average number of devices was 16 per household and 10% responded that they had more than 30 devices in their household. Phantom devices have been defined as smart devices that sit idle and devices that upload video content in homes
- Participants were asked: “On average, how much time does your child spend using home broadband each day during the following periods? Please consider anytime they use the home broadband including laptops, phone, smart TVs gaming etc. If you have multiple children, please think about your oldest child who is aged under 18. During their school term time and during their school time” The average amount of time spent online during term time was 1.9 hours a day and the average amount of time spent online during school holidays was 2.4 hours, which represents a 26% rise in usage
- Participants were asked: “In the past three months, approximately how often, if at all, has your broadband caused you frustration?” 60% responded that they had been frustrated with their broadband at least once, with the average being four times each month
- Participants were asked: “Does your household use any of the following devices more during your child’s school holidays?” 44% responded with smart TV, 40% responded with gaming devices (e.g. PayStation, Xbox etc), 40% responded with tablet (e.g. iPad)
For more information
Harriet Atkinson | Telecoms PR Manager
harriet.atkinson@rvu.co.uk
Twitter: @UswitchPR
