The latest independent data from ThinkBroadband has revealed that nearly 80% of homes across the United Kingdom can now access a gigabit-capable broadband ISP connection (1000Mbps+).
Note, that the figure drops to 60.54% when only looking at Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) technology.
Somewhat in line with this, in October 2023, Ofcom's forecast for Planned Network Deployments predicted that UK gigabit broadband coverage would reach around 84% by May 2024, then 91% by May 2025 and 94% by May 2026.
This news suggests success for the UK Government's £5bn Project Gigabit broadband rollout scheme, which aims to extend 1Gbps download speeds to at least 85% of UK premises by the end of 2025, before achieving nationwide coverage by around 2030.
A reminder that Project Gigabit, led by Building Digital UK, is the Government's flagship £5 billion programme to enable hard-to-reach communities to access lightning-fast gigabit-capable broadband. It targets homes and businesses that are not included in broadband suppliers' plans, reaching parts of the UK that might otherwise miss out on getting the digital connectivity they need.
The vast majority of the network expansion is dominated from commercial deployments of network operators and techUK members including Openreach (BT), Hyperoptic Limited, Gigaclear etc. techUK continues to advocate for the right policy and regulatory environment to drive investment in digital connectivity towards the UK government's goal to bring gigabit-capable broadband to at least 85% of premises in the UK by 2025.
To find out more, and get involved in upcoming activity, visit our Communications Infrastructure and Services Programme.