UK report shows slow adoption of ultrafast broadband

New analysis of Ofcom data by Broadband UK has revealed that despite progress with the Government’s drive to deliver Project Gigabit, customer uptake is not in line with the improved availability of gigabit-capable, full-fibre broadband.

Using data collected and collated in Spring 2022, The Connected Nations report from Ofcom shows that shift from Standard connections of less than 30 Mbit/s to Superfast connections of 30 to 300 Mbit/s) has occurred. However, uptake for Ultrafast connections with speed greater than 300 Mbit/s continues to lag behind.

CEO for BroadbandUK, Saveen Rajan, commented on the result of the recent analysis, identifying some possible barriers to uptake:

“Despite the continuous expansion of Ultrafast broadband infrastructure across the UK, there is a significant gap between its availability and the actual uptake by consumers. This underscores the urgent need for not only increasing public awareness about the benefits of Ultrafast connections but also effectively addressing affordability concerns.”

Project Gigabit is the government’s multibillion-pound plan designed to provide gigabit-capable broadband to the hardest-to-reach parts of the UK. The aim of the plan is to hook up 85% of the nation to gigabit-capable broadband networks by the close of 2025.

Despite the disappointing uptake, in an earlier announcement by group director of network and communications at Ofcom, Lindsay Fussell, the regulator stated that full-fibre broadband would reach 50% of British businesses and homes by March this year, representing a substantial milestone in the UK government’s push to improve the nation’s current broadband infrastructure.