Connected Nations: Summer Update 2023

Key findings on mobile coverage and fixed broadband availability across the UK as of April and May 2023: 

• The number of homes able to get gigabit-capable broadband is up to almost 22.4 million homes (75% of all UK homes), up from 21.9 million (73%) since our Spring 2023 report;
• Full fiber coverage, for the UK as a whole, has passed the halfway threshold for the first time up to 52% from 48%, an increase of 4 percentage points in the four months between January 2023 and May 2023;
• Superfast broadband coverage across the UK overall remains at 97%, but with Northern Ireland seeing an increase of one percentage point to 97%;
• The number of premises unable to get access to decent broadband, when factoring in fixed wireless and fixed line networks, has dropped from 68,000 to 62,000 premises since our Spring 2023 report;
• Mobile coverage remains stable for 4G, with around 93% of the UK landmass predicted to have good outdoor 4G coverage from at least one operator, and this area includes nearly all of the premises in the UK;
• 5G coverage continues to edge forward steadily with 85% of premises being able to get a 5G signal outdoors, from at least one mobile network operator;
• The switch-off of the 3G network has started and we recently produced specific data in the 3G “not-spots” file.