The latest data from thinkbroadband.com, the UK’s leading broadband news and analysis site, confirms that the UK has hit an important broadband milestone and achieved 85 per cent gigabit broadband coverage, a target set by the government in 2018 with contracts first awarded in 2021.
Gigabit-capable broadband means download speeds of at least 1 Gigabit-per-second (Gbps), meaning a household can watch multiple films in different rooms at the same time while others are gaming or video conferencing. Clearly, this level of broadband speed makes working from home easier and delivers widespread confidence in a region to businesses and the public alike. The UK Government’s target was for gigabit broadband to be available to 85 per cent of the UK by 2025 and the UK hit the 85 per cent coverage level this month (October).
Regions that have recently hit the 85% target include the North East (86.04% of premises), and the East Midlands (86.29%), and they join other areas enjoying this level of broadband capability including, but not limited to:
- North West England – 88.67% of premises
- London – 91.31%
- West Midlands – 88.9%
- Yorkshire & the Humber – 89.49%
- Lancashire – 86.49%
- Glasgow – 93.47%
- Edinburgh – 95.24%
- Cardiff – 92.92%
- Belfast – 98.09% …/
In the last year, multiple Project Gigabit contracts have successfully navigated through planning and construction phases, and the public can now order, have installed, and enjoy full fibre services with gigabit speeds or faster.
425 of the 650 UK constituencies have Gigabit coverage of 85% or higher as of 19 October.
Commenting on the 85 per cent Gigabit milestone being reached, Andrew Ferguson, Editor of thinkbroadband.com says:
“It is a great achievement that much of the UK now has this level of Gigabit coverage, and this a massive step change compared to the older part-fibre cabinet solutions. Gigabit speeds mean households no longer need to worry about what others in the home are doing when taking part in a video call, or if someone starts to update their games console while the parents are watching a film.
“Gigabit coverage is especially important for those that rely on very high-quality broadband for work purposes, or have a large household with lots of gadgets, for content creators who steam regularly or online gamers.
“Switching from older part fibre services to full fibre should also see services become more reliable as issues such as rain getting into old copper wiring will become a thing of the past.
“It’s also worth noting that switching providers is now much easier due to the One Touch Switch (OTS) system, which means people save money by not having to pay the old 30-day notice period and will have their old broadband service available right up until the new service is installed and running.”
The above story was recently covered in The Express and The Sun, which was great news for our client.