The UK has passed another big broadband milestone, with new figures showing that 89% of homes and businesses can now get gigabit speeds and 80% have access to full fibre.
The findings come from ThinkBroadband’s State of Broadband – September 2025 report, which highlights just how quickly the country’s internet infrastructure is changing. Back in March 2025, full fibre was available to 75% of homes. In just a few months, that’s jumped to four in five.
The growth is being driven by a mix of national networks and smaller local challengers:
While many people still only recognise names like BT, Sky or Virgin Media, these “altnets” are playing a vital role in connecting towns and communities that big networks have overlooked.
Northern Ireland is currently leading the pack with 97% gigabit availability, while England sits at 89%, Scotland at 83% and Wales at 82%.
For customers, more fibre in the ground means more choice, stronger competition and, in theory, better value deals. Even if gigabit speeds of 1Gbps+ might feel over the top for most families, full fibre brings other benefits – including more reliable connections, smoother streaming and less frustration when multiple people are online at once.
ThinkBroadband’s director, Sebastien Lahtinen, summed it up: “Full fibre is here to stay. While the speeds may seem excessive, the reliability and competition it brings are essential for powering our connected lives.”
Around 20% of homes remain without full fibre, and many of those areas are seeing “overbuild” – where networks overlap as they compete. While that may look wasteful, experts say it helps keep prices in check and stops providers cutting corners.
Enter your postcode to check which full fibre providers are live in your area, compare deals side by side and find the best package for your household.
