The number of homes in the UK that can access gigabit-capable broadband has risen to nearly 21.9 million homes, accounting for 73% of all households, according to the regulator Ofcom.
The January 2023 figure represents an increase on the 20.8 million homes (70%) reported in the last Connected Britain report.
The coverage of full-fibre broadband, which provides ultra-fast and reliable connectivity, has continued to expand rapidly. It has now reached 48% of all UK homes, a significant increase of six percentage points within the four-month period between September 2022 and January 2023.
Superfast broadband coverage stands at 97%.
In terms of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), there has been an increase in gigabit-capable, full-fibre, and superfast broadband coverage since the last report in December 2021. However, SME coverage still lags behind residential coverage, with full-fibre coverage at 43% and gigabit-capable coverage at 70%.
The number of premises unable to access reliable broadband has shown a positive trend, dropping from 80,000 to 68,000 since the December 2022 report. This improvement takes into account both fixed wireless and fixed-line connections, highlighting progress in extending broadband access to previously underserved areas.
Mobile coverage remains stable, and operators continue to expand coverage through the Shared Rural Network scheme, established in collaboration with the UK Government in 2020. As a result, nationwide coverage is expected to increase in the coming years. Additionally, 5G coverage has seen steady progress, with 82% of premises now able to receive a 5G signal outdoors with a high degree of confidence.
