Financial Times

The surprising success story of British fibre broadband

In January 2020, before the Covid-19 pandemic sparked a work-from-home revolution, only 12 per cent of UK properties had access to superfast full-fibre broadband, according to the communications regulator Ofcom. This meant many customers had to contend with slow internet speeds or an unreliable service. Five years on, that figure has skyrocketed to more than 78 per cent, according to ThinkBroadband, an independent online resource, closer in line with many countries in Europe. This stunning growth can be traced back to a key decision made by Ofcom, experts say.