1 in 4 UK homes now get fast full-fibre internet, claims Ofcom

Around one in four UK homes can now get faster full-fibre internet, as broadband companies have extended their networks at a rapid pace during the pandemic – new Ofcom figures reveal.

New figures published in Ofcom’s Connected Nations summer update show that just under seven million (24%) of all UK homes can take-up full-fibre internet packages – up from 21% at the start of the year.

Nearly 12 million (40%) of UK homes can now get gigabit-capable broadband (able to deliver download speeds of up to 1 Gbit/s), which has increased from 37% in January. However, around 134,000 UK properties are still unable to get a decent connection. These properties could be eligible for an upgrade under the broadband universal service.

Broadband speeds on the rise

Ofcom has also measured the speeds and performance of broadband services at over 2,500 households as part of its UK Home Broadband Speeds Performance research. Eighty-five per cent of those have taken-up superfast packages, up from 75% in November 2019 – before the pandemic led to mass home working and learning.

Take-up of these faster packages is reflected in the higher average speeds households are getting. The median average broadband speed recorded in Ofcom’s research was 50.4 Mbit/s – up 20% on the average speed in November 2019 (42.1 Mbit/s).

The pandemic has led to a continued shift in how people use their mobiles, Ofcom’s Mobile Matters research reveals. This shows that people using Android handsets spent nearly three quarters (73%) of their time online connected to Wi-Fi, rather than their mobile network – reflecting more time spent at home.