March 2020 update on broadband availability across the UK, nations and regions
The pace of full fibre network construction is still fairly normal at this point in time, but the expectation is that in a few weeks we will see the build rates dipping in response to the numerous network construction teams moving to much more of an essential work model. Operators will be keen to keep building of course, but priority will be going to Internet connectivity to support locations such as the new Nightingale hospitals and other key locations.
Last month we introduced the Gigabit column to the results table. This month now the broadband USO has launched and we have been able to see exactly how the ADSL2+ upload speeds are handled we are dropping the old 10 Mbps and 1 Mbps USO figure (which included ALL ADSL2+ connections) and replacing it with our 10 Mbps download column. This is because based on what we can see people with 11 or 12 Mbps ADSL2+ connections are not considered eligible for USO support. The full broadband coverage pages will still offer the full suite of figures, i.e. we are not throwing any data away.
| thinkbroadband analysis of Superfast, USC, USO and Full Fibre Broadband Coverage across the UK, its nations and regions for premises In descending order of Gigabit coverage - figures 7th April 2020 (change since 7th March 2020) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area | % full and partial fibre based i.e. VDSL2, G.fast or FTTP or Cable | % superfast 30 Mbps or faster | % Ultrafast 100 Mbps or faster FTTP, cable, G.fast | Gigabit | % Full Fibre All Providers Openreach and KCOM FTTP | % Under 2 Mbps download | % Below USO 10 Mbps download |
| West Midlands | 98.8% | 97.5% (=) | 70.4% (+0.1) | 44.5% | 10.90% (+0.48) 7.43% (+0.42) |
0.2% | 0.8% |
| 2,930,387 Premises | 2,896,610 | 2,856,465 | 2,063,332 | 1,304,054 | 319,424 217,726 |
6,320 | 23,427 |
| Northern Ireland | 99.3% | 89% (=) | 54.0% (+1.0) | 42.81% | 42.81% (+1.47) 36.63% (+1.52) |
4.1% | 7% |
| 835,688 Premises | 830,074 | 743,911 | 451,414 | 357,726 | 357,726 306,111 |
33,953 | 58,097 |
| North West | 98.9% | 96.8% (=) | 57.2% (+0.4) | 22.18% | 11.90% (+0.53) 8.16% (+0.46) |
0.5% | 1.2% |
| 4,113,051 Premises | 4,067,708 | 3,981,686 | 2,351,444 | 912,386 | 489,523 335,628 |
18,719 | 51,060 |
| South East | 99.2% | 97.4% (=) | 60.8% (+0.6) | 20.07% | 10.05% (+0.96) 3.82% (+0.47) |
0.2% | 0.8% |
| 2,282,335 Premises | 2,263,631 | 2,222,546 | 1,386,952 | 457,999 | 229,280 87,165 |
4,412 | 17,217 |
| England | 98.7% | 96.7% (=) | 62.9% (+0.2) | 18.92% | 12.44% (+0.43) 7.01% (+0.30)(includes KCom Lightstream) |
0.3% | 1.1% |
| 25,335,264 Premises | 25,000,351 | 24,511,319 | 15,938,726 | 4,792,789 | 3,150,873 1,775,317 |
83,043 | 279,659 |
| Yorkshire and Humber | 98.5% | 96.7% (+0.1) | 63.0% (+0.4) | 18.48% | 18.48% (+0.45) 12.79% (+0.24)(includes KCom Lightstream) |
0.4% | 1.2% |
| 2,701,288 Premises | 2,661,364 | 2,611,464 | 1,700,846 | 499,115 | 499,115 345,375 |
10,721 | 32,327 |
| United Kingdom | 98.6% | 96.2% (=) | 60.5% (+0.3) | 18.44% | 13.05% (+0.47) 7.72% (+0.36) (includes KCom Lightstream) |
0.5% | 1.5% |
| 30,358,744 Premises | 29,929,084 | 29,208,481 | 18,366,429 | 5,602,747 | 3,960,831 2,355,597 |
160,115 | 464,643 |
| Great Britain | 98.6% | 96.4% (=) | 60.7% (+0.3) | 17.77% | 12.20% (+0.23) 6.94% (+0.30)(includes KCom Lightstream) |
0.4% | 1.4% |
| 29,523,056 Premises | 29,099,010 | 28,464,570 | 17,915,015 | 5,245,021 | 3,603,105 2,049,486 |
126,162 | 406,546 |
| London | 98.4% | 97.5% (=) | 77% (+0.1) | 16.17% | 16.17% (+0.23) 6.30% (+0.19) |
0.1% | 0.5% |
| 4,691,502 Premises | 4,614,879 | 4,572,345 | 3,613,534 | 758,489 | 758,489 295,490 |
4,346 | 23,382 |
| South West | 98.3% | 94.9% (=) | 52.3% (+0.2) | 14.18% | 14.03% (+0.35) 9.30% (+0.22) |
0.6% | 2% |
| 3,722,180 Premises | 3,658,452 | 3,534,137 | 1,947,193 | 527,906 | 522,201 346,328 |
22,832 | 75,946 |
| Wales | 97.9% | 94.9% (=) | 39.5% (+0.1) | 12.86% | 12.86% (+0.31) 10.04% (+0.29) |
0.7% | 2.5% |
| 1,447,360 Premises | 1,417,201 | 1,374,209 | 572,180 | 186,128 | 187,128 145,316 |
10,241 | 36,603 |
| Scotland | 97.8% | 94.1% (+0.1) | 51.2% (+0.4) | 9.71% | 9.71% (+0.56) 4.70% (+0.39) |
1.2% | 3.3% |
| 2,740,432 Premises | 2,681,458 | 2,579,042 | 1,404,109 | 266,104 | 266,104 128,853 |
32,878 | 90,284 |
| East Midlands | 99.3% | 97.6% (=) | 65% (+0.1) | 9.04% |
9.04% (+0.13) |
0.3% | 0.8% |
| 1,166,095 Premises | 1,157,880 | 1,137,831 | 758,275 | 105,385 |
105,385 |
3,154 | 9,567 |
| East of England | 98.7% | 96% (+0.1) | 56.1% (+0.3) | 6.83% | 6.83% (+0.41) 3.15% (+0.36) |
0.4% | 1.4% |
| 2,722,044 Premises | 2,722,044 | 2,647,773 | 1,547,132 | 188,274 | 188,274 86,828 |
10,602 | 38,708 |
| North East | 98.7% | 97.6% (+0.1) | 58.7% (+0.1) | 4.04% | 4.04% (+0.12) 1.14% (+0.07) |
0.2% | 0.8% |
| 970,483 Premises | 957,783 | 947,072 | 570,018 | 39,182 | 39,182 11,054 |
1,937 | 8,025 |
There was a soft target of 97% superfast coverage of the UK by the end of March 2020 and at 96.57% if you use the over 24 Mbps definition for superfast broadband the UK is still shy of that target.
Comments
See the column heading and the note
"This month now the broadband USO has launched and we have been able to see exactly how the ADSL2+ upload speeds are handled we are dropping the old 10 Mbps and 1 Mbps USO figure (which included ALL ADSL2+ connections) and replacing it with our 10 Mbps download column."
- andrew
- 11 months ago
Thanks, so it is a lesser B-USO definition as the upload is effectively ignored. This is tad odd given the increasing need for Video conf applications needing to work. I had hoped that Video tel rather than Voice would have been in the B-USO definition.
Not ignored exactly, but assumption seems to be 11 Mbps ADSL2+ will sync at over 1 Mbps upload
- andrew
- 11 months ago
Your showing an all time monthly record reduction of 260,893 premises on the % below USO, which is wonderful if true. Can you confirm?