Full-fibre rollout to gather pace ahead of 2025 deadline, report shows
- North East Lincolnshire is set to see 97% of households gain full-fibre access by March 2025
- Blaenau Gwent is predicted to see the largest increase in full fibre access in Wales (+96.34%)
- Isles of Scilly, where only 1.97% of premises currently have full-fibre access, are predicted to see no further developments over the next two years
- Every home in Stevenage (99.99%) will have full-fibre access by March 2025
North East Lincolnshire, Oxford and Stevenage are all among the local authorities expected to see a significant increase in their broadband coverage over the next two years, in time for the government’s deadline to deliver full-fibre broadband to 85% of homes by 2025.
To determine which areas could see the greatest rise in fibre-optic access before the 2025 deadline, the broadband experts at Uswitch.com used current and future full fibre availability data from Ofcom to predict which local authorities could see the greatest increase in availability by March 2025.
| Rank | Local authority | Premises with full fibre currently available (%) | Estimated premises with full fibre available in March 2025 (%) | Predicted percentage increase (%) |
| 1 | North East Lincolnshire | 2.42% | 98.93% | +96.51% |
| 2 | Blaenau Gwent | 3.57% | 99.91% | +96.34% |
| 3 | Castle Point | 3.35% | 99.59% | +96.24% |
| 4 | Oxford | 1.83% | 96.05% | +96.23% |
| 5 | Woking | 4.60% | 98.76% | +94.17% |
| 6 | Stevenage | 5.92% | 99.99% | +94.07% |
| 7 | Burnley | 2.88% | 96.10% | +93.22% |
| 8 | Broxbourne | 6.44% | 98.55% | +92.10% |
| 9 | Neath Port Talbot | 7.85% | 99.17% | +91.32% |
| 10 | Redditch | 8.82% | 99.18% | +90.36% |
North East Lincolnshire will see the most improvement in its full fibre infrastructure by March 2025, Uswitch.com predicts. While less than one in 40 (2.42%) of the area’s premises currently have access to the UK’s fastest internet connection, it could be available to 98.93% of North East Lincolnshire homes by 2025. This is a 96.51% increase which will affect 151,000 residents in the area, and is the most significant rise predicted across the country.
Residents of Blaenau Gwent are expected to see 96.34% of its premises gain access to full-fibre by March 2025, just 0.17% less than North East Lincolnshire. This is a significant increase in full fibre coverage within two years, as currently, only one in 30 (3.57%) homes in the area have access to it. Blaenau Gwent will see a sharper rise in full fibre coverage than any other Welsh local authority, followed by Neath Port Talbot (+91.32%).
Castle Point is predicted to experience a 96.24% rise in full fibre availability by March 2025, the third largest increase analysed. Only 3.35% of premises in the South Essex district have full fibre available, the 10th smallest proportion of all 371 local authorities analysed. However, by March 2025, 99.59% of homes in the area will have full-fibre broadband, making Castle Point the 17th best place for access to the UK’s highest possible speeds.
| Rank | Local authority | Premises with full fibre currently available (%) | Predicted percentage increase (%) | Estimated premises with full fibre available in March 2025 (%) |
| 1 | Isles of Scilly | 1.97% | +0.00% | 1.97% |
| 2 | West Dunbartonshire | 2.14% | +2.82% | 4.96% |
| 3 | Oadby and Wigston | 3.16% | +5.46% | 8.62% |
| 4 | South Tyneside | 8.69% | +9.48% | 18.44% |
| 5 | Dudley | 6.80% | +12.66% | 19.46% |
The Isles of Scilly are the only area not expected to see any developments in full fibre integration by March 2025, leaving less than one in 50 (1.97%) premises with access to full-fibre. West Dunbartonshire and Oadby and Wigston are predicted to experience just a slight gain in full fibre development, with increases of 2.82% and 5.46% providing availability to just 4.96% and 8.62% of premises respectively.
Says Max Beckett, broadband expert at Uswitch.com, comments on the advantages of opting for a full-fibre connection:
“The government has committed to providing 85% of UK residences access to full fibre broadband by 2025, and nationwide access by 2030. As more of our day-to-day lives rely on a strong, reliable internet connection, nationwide full fibre is increasingly essential.
“However, even if full fibre is available on your street, you won’t be able to utilise it automatically. You will need to find out which providers supply it in your area, and which ones offer the best deal for you.”
For further information see https://www.uswitch.com/broadband/compare/fibre_optic/
