Almost a quarter of the UK can be connected via full fiber: Ofcom
Just under a quarter of homes (24%) in the UK can be connected to a full fiber network, according to research UK regulatory authority Ofcom released last week. The figure represents a 3% increase from the beginning of the year.
The growth in full-fiber connectivity – as well as upgrades to hybrid fiber/coax networks by cable system operators – also has enabled more UK citizens to opt for gigabit broadband, Ofcom adds. Nearly 12 million UK homes (40%) have access to gigabit broadband versus 37% in January of this year.
Overall improvements in UK access network infrastructure now enable 96% of UK homes to access “superfast” broadband service encompassing download speeds of at least 30 Mbps, the research reveals. And “almost all” households in the UK can access 10 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps upstream, a level of service Ofcom classified as “decent.”
That said, approximately 134,000 UK premises do not have access to even this decent level of service. Such properties “could be” eligible to participate in the broadband universal service, in which they can petition their local infrastructure provider for a higher-speed connection.
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Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn as well as Twitter.