Connected Nations: UK full-fibre broadband reaches 17M homes

A record-breaking 17 million UK homes now have access to full-fibre broadband, according to Ofcom's latest Connected Nations report released today.

The report highlights the advantages of full-fibre broadband, emphasising its increased reliability and resilience compared to traditional copper-based networks. 4.6 million households have already made the switch.

Analysis indicates that providers experience fewer faults on their fibre networks, contributing to a smoother...

19 December 2023 | Broadband

Over 330K premises benefit from UK connectivity fund in 2023

The UK has invested over half a billion pounds this year to boost connectivity for more than 330,000 premises. The announcement comes alongside a £33 million investment to connect more than 17,000 homes and businesses in rural Derbyshire to high-speed broadband.

This announcement for Derbyshire follows earlier contracts awarded in Shropshire, Cambridgeshire, New Forest, Norfolk, Suffolk, Hampshire, North East Staffordshire, and Oxfordshire—bringing total investment to over...

15 December 2023 | Broadband

Virgin Media O2 completes its gigabit upgrade across 15.5M premises

Virgin Media O2 has completed its gigabit upgrade across its entire network of 15.5 million premises.

The most recent switch on delivered gigabit speeds to an additional 1.1 million homes. Any customer on the company’s Gig1 plan can now access ultrafast speeds with an average download of 1,130Mbps—22 times faster than the national average.

While such speeds are excessive for most of today’s applications, the network will speed up things like increasingly large game...

7 December 2021 | Broadband

Over 90% of Virgin Media O2’s network is now gigabit-ready

Virgin Media O2’s network is now over 90 percent gigabit-ready, putting the ISP on track to upgrade its entire footprint by year-end.

The provider’s latest switch-on connected a further 1.6 million homes in towns and cities including Lincoln, Bath, Lancaster, Fife, Huddersfield, Ipswich, Slough, and Salisbury.

14.3 million premises are now able to access the gigabit network’s average download speeds of 1,130Mbps.

Lutz Schüler, Chief Executive Officer at...

9 November 2021 | Broadband

Over half of Virgin Media O2’s network can now access gigabit speeds

Virgin Media O2 has today launched gigabit speeds for a further one-and-a-half million homes, meaning that over half of its network can now access connectivity to support even the most demanding applications.

As of today, Virgin Media O2 has upgraded its network in several locations across all four nations of the UK.

Lutz Schüler, Chief Executive Officer at Virgin Media O2, said:

“We are upgrading the UK to next-generation connectivity and today we’re...

10 August 2021 | Networks

Altice takes 12.1% stake in BT due to ‘compelling’ full-fibre opportunity

French telecoms giant Altice has taken a 12.1 percent stake in BT to become the company’s largest stakeholder.

Altice, a company owned by billionaire Patrick Drahi, has established a UK subsidiary for the purposes of holding a stake in BT.

Despite acquiring such a sizable stake in BT, Altice UK says that it does not intend to make a takeover bid of the country’s largest telecoms operator.

Altice UK says its interest in BT is due to the “compelling...

10 June 2021 | Networks

CityFibre begins rollout of full-fibre connectivity in Bath with £25M investment

CityFibre, the largest independent provider of full-fibre networks, has begun rolling out connectivity in the historical city of Bath.

Homes and businesses in the old Roman city of Bath will soon have access to the modern wonder of full-fibre broadband thanks to a £25 million investment by CityFibre.

Neil Madle, CityFibre’s City Manager for Bath, said:

“Bath is a historic city most often associated with the likes of Jane Austen and its Roman Baths, but...

7 June 2021 | Networks

Ofcom updates wholesale rules to accelerate the full-fibre rollout

Telecoms regulator Ofcom has updated its wholesale rules with the aim of accelerating the full-fibre rollout.

Full-fibre broadband was a key pledge of Johnson’s government but, like most plans, was somewhat derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the UK’s successful vaccine rollout enabling a cautious roadmap to lifting lockdown restrictions, the focus is now shifting to how the country can “build back better” from a virus which dithering and chaotic policymaking...

18 March 2021 | Legislation & Government

Virgin Media trials Infinera’s XR Optics to deliver multi-gigabit speeds

Virgin Media is trialling Infinera’s XR Optics technology with the possibility of using it to deliver multi-gigabit speeds to customers.

Jeanie York, Chief Technology and Information Officer at Virgin Media, said:

“Our next-generation network already offers gigabit connectivity to more than seven million homes, but with data use and demand for hyperfast speeds surging, we’re continually investing in our network to prepare for whatever the future...

3 March 2021 | Networks

MPs reckon the UK will miss even its lowered broadband and 5G targets

A parliamentary committee believes the UK will miss its broadband and 5G targets, despite revising them lower just weeks ago.

The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee published a report this week which said that the industry had “no genuine belief” the UK will hit its targets.

Nationwide gigabit broadband was a key pledge made on the steps of Downing Street when Prime Minister Boris Johnson took office. Initially, the government planned for nationwide...

22 December 2020 | Legislation & Government