‘Gigaboom’ brings next-generation broadband to half of premises

New figures from ThinkBroadband show that more than half of UK homes and businesses can now access the fastest commercial broadband speeds available.

Passing 50 per cent national coverage means more than 15 million properties can access a broadband connection capable of download speeds of 1,000 megabits or one gigabit per second. In January 2019 gigabit broadband availability stood at just six per cent.

Gigabit connectivity, which is predominantly delivered via full or hybrid fibre broadband cables running into homes and businesses, will be increasingly necessary in the coming years as more and more internet-connected ‘smart’ devices become available for the home.

As more people work remotely, gigabit broadband will also bring much faster and more reliable connectivity to rural and hard-to-reach communities, making them more attractive places for people to settle, raise families and start and grow businesses.

Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries said: “We’ve passed the halfway point in our national mission to level up the UK with lightning-fast gigabit broadband. Millions of people can now access the fastest, most reliable internet connections, allowing them full advantage of new technologies over the next forty years. Thanks to the work of industry and our record £5 billion investment, we are making phenomenal progress in the Prime Minister’s infrastructure revolution.”