More than 17 million UK homes, or 57% of the total, now have access to full-fibre broadband, according to the latest report from the communications regulator Ofcom.
This is a significant increase from last year, when full-fibre broadband was available to 42% of UK homes. Full-fibre broadband is a type of internet connection that uses fibre-optic cables all the way to the home or business premises, instead of copper wires. This makes it more reliable, resilient, and capable of delivering faster speeds than copper-based broadband.
For the first time, full-fibre broadband is available to over half of homes in all four of the UK nations: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. However, there are still regional variations in availability and take-up. Of the 17 million homes that can access full-fibre broadband, 4.6 million have taken it up, which is 28% of the eligible premises. Take-up is higher in rural areas (49%) than in urban areas (25%), as rural customers may have fewer alternative options for fast and reliable internet.
Ofcom’s research shows that some providers experience fewer faults on their fibre network compared with a copper-based network, which may improve customer satisfaction and reduce complaints. The regulator also reports that more homes are taking up satellite broadband, which uses satellites in orbit to provide internet access to remote areas. Around 42,000 UK customers are connected to Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite service, up from 13,000 last year, mostly in rural areas. Starlink offers speeds of around 100 Mbps, which is comparable to some fixed broadband services, but with higher latency and variable performance depending on weather and satellite availability. Ofcom says that satellite broadband may become more affordable and accessible in the future, as more satellites are launched and more providers enter the market.
Ofcom’s report also covers other aspects of the UK’s telecoms and media sectors, such as mobile coverage, TV and radio broadcasting, and online content. Ofcom says that its main priorities are to support the ongoing rollout of full-fibre and gigabit-capable broadband, to ensure fair and affordable access for consumers, and to promote competition and innovation in the industry. Ofcom also says that it will continue to monitor and enforce the quality of service standards for broadband and mobile providers, and to protect consumers from harm online.
The report is based on data collected from broadband and mobile providers in September 2023. It is part of Ofcom’s annual Connected Nations series, which tracks the availability and performance of broadband and mobile services across the UK.