Major UK broadband providers, including BT, EE, and Virgin Media O2, have reported unprecedented levels of network traffic following the release of the latest installment in the Call of Duty video game series.
BT and EE, along with Virgin Media O2, confirmed significant spikes in network activity after the game became available for download on Wednesday, preceding its official release on Friday.
Virgin Media O2 disclosed that Wednesday marked a new record for broadband network traffic, surpassing the previous record set just a week ago with the return of the original map in the popular battle royale game Fortnite. The internet provider attributed the surge in traffic to the substantial size of the new Call of Duty game file.
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Paul Kells, Director of Network Strategy and Engineering at Virgin Media O2, remarked, “It has been an exciting couple of weeks for gamers, with the return of Fortnite’s original map and the much-anticipated arrival of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III. Both of these events have seen gamers getting online in their droves, with our customers setting two network records in less than a week.”
EE and BT echoed similar experiences, citing the Call of Duty launch as the second-highest overall peak in EE and BT home broadband history. This surge only trailed behind a night in February, coinciding with multiple high-profile football matches being streamed online and an update to Call of Duty’s popular battle royale spin-off, Warzone.
Sam Kemp, Director of Gaming at EE, emphasized their commitment to being the UK’s premier gaming destination, offering a full-fibre network experience tailored for gamers. He highlighted the significance of the Call of Duty release, calling it one of the most substantial contributors to a broadband peak in their history.
“As the official partner of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, we’ve seen unprecedented traffic across our network. However, EE customers can be rest assured that they will be supported by the fastest speeds and most reliable network to get the best possible COD experience,” Kemp assured.
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