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This page includes relevant broadband statistics for 2024, such as the average cost of UK broadband, the market share of broadband across the country, and mobile broadband statistics.
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Since the birth of the World Wide Web in 1989 by Tim Berners Lee, the internet has become a vital tool for information, communication, and entertainment alike.
With streaming being a popular way to watch TV and listen to music, as well as working from home becoming the norm, reliable broadband is now a necessity for the majority of households across the UK.
But how accessible is broadband in the UK and beyond? We’ve collated the latest UK broadband statistics for 2024, covering broadband cost, market share, customer satisfaction, and more.
The average cost of broadband in the UK is £26.90 per month, as of 2023.
Wales had the cheapest broadband of all countries in the UK, with a monthly average of £26.87.
Those with fibre to the premises (FTTP) connections paid 12% more than those with other broadband connections, on average (£29.86 per month).
BT is the largest broadband provider in the UK, with approximately 9.3 million customers.
England had the strongest 5g accessibility across the UK, with the service available for between 76% and 85% of the country.
Residents of Sutton pay the lowest broadband fees of anywhere in the UK, at £24.83 per month.
Four in 10 (38%) people aged 18-34 know about social broadband tariffs.
As of 2023, Plusnet is the internet provider with the highest approval ratings with a customer satisfaction score of 89%.
In-contract broadband costs 22.5% less than out-of-contract broadband.
The percentage difference between the lowest-price provider and the average price increased to 37%
UK broadband market share statistics
According to UK broadband market share statistics, BT, in conjunction with Plusnet and EE, have the largest number of UK customers, with 9.3 million subscribers using their broadband services.
Sky Broadband has a customer base of 6.7 million across the UK and Ireland, followed by Virgin Media, which has a market share of around 5.7 million.
This means that Virgin had around two-fifths (42%) fewer customers than BT, but 50% more than TalkTalk.
A breakdown of UK broadband market share statistics by broadband provider (ISP) and estimated subscriber count
Glide, a specialist business to business (B2B) Wi-Fi service with a focus on students and student accommodation, has a market share of 400,000, making it the seventh most popular broadband provider in the country.
Hull-based KCOM has a market share of less than 140,000. Tenth on the list, this broadband provider has a subscriber count 66 times less than BT.
What is the average cost of broadband in the UK?
Pricing for broadband services from the UK’s independent full fibre network operators can be lower than those from established providers—an important factor in potentially switching your broadband.
According to Uswitch’s global broadband index, the UK ranks as the fifth most affordable country worldwide for broadband, as a percentage of income per capita. With an average of £26.39 per month, this equates to around 1.16% of the average citizen’s monthly earnings—a statistic only bettered by Israel (0.78%), Lithuania (0.97%), France (1.14%), and Luxembourg (1.15%). A recent Uswitch study found that the average cost of UK broadband has risen 1.9% since the global broadband index from £26.39 to £26.90.
Data from Ofcom shows full fibre broadband pricing for selected independent providers, as well as BT using the Openreach full-fibre network and Virgin Media (which uses DOCSIS 3.1 cable and full fibre technology) to provide ultrafast services. New operators (such as Community Fibre, Hyperoptic, and G.Network) also entered the broadband market in 2022, resulting in more choices for UK broadband customers.
On top of the monthly price, some broadband providers charge fees for activation, set-up, or installation, which is dependent on the provider and contract length. Broadband deals with no upfront costs are available on the market, but you will need to check this before committing to a package.
Want to try and avoid installation costs? Check out our guide on how to self-install your broadband as a potential method of saving some money.
Broadband installation cost also depends on whether the broadband provider is registered to the Government’s Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS). The scheme, which has been running since 2021, can provide up to £210 million worth of funding to help homes and businesses cover the costs of installing gigabit broadband.
Households eligible for this can claim vouchers worth up to £1,500 through a registered broadband provider, and businesses can claim up to £3,500.
What is the average cost of broadband across the UK?
The latest UK broadband statistics found that the average cost of broadband in the UK is £26.90. Of all UK countries, Wales typically had the cheapest broadband, with its monthly average cost of £26.87 – around 0.1% less than the UK average.
A breakdown of the average cost of broadband across all UK countries
Country
Average monthly cost
England
£26.88
Scotland
£27.12
Wales
£26.87
Northern Ireland
£28.04
UK
£26.90
(Source: Uswitch)
England was narrowly more expensive than Wales, with its monthly average cost of £26.88 making it the only other UK nation with a typical broadband cost below the collective UK mean. Scotland’s average cost of £27.12 was around 0.9% more than England's, while Northern Ireland had the highest average broadband cost at £28.04 per month.
This means that Northern Ireland residents pay around 4% more for broadband on average than those living in Wales. This may be due to the higher rate of full-fibre coverage in Northern Ireland, increasing the availability of more high-speed packages.
Which UK places pay the least for broadband?
The latest UK broadband statistics show that, as of 2023, England dominates the list of the cheapest places for broadband in the UK. Nine of the top 10 are based in England, with the south London borough of Sutton having the cheapest broadband on average.
With an average monthly cost of £24.83, residents of Sutton pay around 8% less than the UK average.
A breakdown of the UK towns and cities with the lowest average broadband prices
Country
Town/city
Average monthly cost
Difference compared to the UK average
England
Sutton
£24.83
-8%
England
Braintree
£25.16
-6%
Wales
Pontypool
£25.21
-6%
England
Wembley
£25.25
-6%
England
Sunderland
£25.44
-5
England
Tiverton
£25.45
-5%
England
Shepton Mallet
£25.48
-5%
England
Spalding
£25.52
-5%
England
Uttoxeter
£25.53
-5%
England
Barnstaple
£25.53
-5%
(Source: Uswitch)
Welsh town Pontypool was the only non-English place in the top 10, with its average monthly cost of £25.16, the third lowest overall and 6% less than the UK average. Sunderland has the cheapest broadband in the North of England, with the Tyneside city’s average cost of £25.44 per month around 5% lower than the UK average.
Despite having the cheapest broadband in Scotland, Grenock’s average monthly cost of £26.34 was only the 57th lowest in the country overall, and 2% less than the UK average. Similarly, though Coleraine’s average cost of £27.93 was the lowest in Northern Ireland, this was still 4% higher than the UK average, and more expensive than around 300 other UK towns and cities.
Which UK places pay the most for broadband?
As of 2023, England was responsible for nine of the 10 most expensive areas for broadband in the UK, with the Yorkshire town of Castleford having the highest costs overall. With an average broadband cost of £29.41 per month, residents of Castleford typically pay around 9% more than the rest of the UK, on average.
A breakdown of the UK towns and cities with the highest average broadband costs
Country
Metro
City
Avg monthly cost
Sales
Difference compared to the UK average
England
Yorkshire
Castleford
£29.41
92
9%
England
North West
Wallasey
£29.35
59
9%
England
North West
Leyland
£29.14
70
8%
England
London
East Grinstead
£28.85
57
7%
Scotland
Central Scotland
Hamilton
£28.78
88
7%
England
London
Walton-on-Thames
£28.71
51
7%
England
North West
Winsford
£28.66
90
7%
England
Midlands
Rugby
£28.59
169
6%
England
North West
Birkenhead
£28.34
359
5%
England
South West
Torquay
£28.29
102
5%
(Source: Uswitch)
Castleford was followed by the northern towns of Wallasey and Leyland, which were the only other places with average costs above £29 per month. Hamilton was the most expensive place for broadband in Scotland (£28,78), with an average monthly bill 7% higher than the UK average and the fifth most expensive overall.
Barry was the most expensive Welsh town for broadband, with its average monthly cost of £28.20 around 5% higher than the UK average and the joint-13th highest overall in the UK.
What is the average cost of UK broadband by speed?
The latest UK broadband statistics found that, as of 2023, those with speeds between 0Mb and 30Mb typically pay the lowest for broadband, with average costs of just over £20 per month.
A breakdown of the average costs of UK broadband by download speed
Speed group
Avg monthly cost
Sales
0-30Mb
£20.01
2,114
30-60Mb
£25.62
11,821
60-99Mb
£25.66
84,906
100-149Mb
£27.58
31,814
150-249Mb
£21.60
13,294
249-999Mb
£33.65
23,592
1Gb+
£46.44
1,229
(Source: Uswitch)
There is a rise of around 28% between those on 0-30Mb packages and those with speeds between 30Mb and 60Mb (£25.62). This is followed by a much smaller rise of 0.1% between 30-60Mb customers and those on 60-99Mb (£25.66).
Despite a rise of around 7.5% between 60-99Mb customers (£25.66) and those on 100-149Mb (£27.58), this is followed by a drop of nearly 22% as we reach speeds 150-249Mb. This means that people on 150-249Mb plans are typically paying 7% less than those on the much slower 30-60Mb plan.
The biggest single increase occurs between 150-249Mb and 249-99Mb, with prices rising 55%, from £21.60 to £33.65.
Broadband speed statistics found those with speeds over 1GB typically pay the most for broadband, with an average monthly cost of £46.44. This is around 38% higher than those on 249-999Mb plans, and 132% higher than those on 0-30Mb.
What is the average cost of UK broadband by broadband type?
Recent broadband access statistics found those with fibre to the premises (FTTP) connections pay the most for their broadband, with an average monthly cost of £29.86 – around 12% more than any other connection. This is followed by fibre to the cable (FTTC) connections (£26.41), which are the only other connection types with average costs above £25 per month.
A breakdown of the average cost of UK broadband by the type of connection
Speed group
Average monthly cost
Sales
ADSL
£20.33
1,827
FTTC
£26.41
123,554
FTTP
£29.86
38,408
Mobile
Broadband
£18.70
4,980
(Source: Uswitch)
There is a substantial drop of almost a quarter (23%) between the cost of FTTC broadband and traditional ADSL connections, before a smaller decrease of 8% between ADSL broadband and mobile broadband. With an average monthly cost of £18.70 per month, mobile broadband is typically the cheapest connection type, and the only one with average monthly costs below £20.
UK broadband cost statistics by provider
Knowing when to switch your broadband is no easy answer. Average UK broadband costs vary considerably between providers and the type of broadband you purchase. Some providers will offer promotional prices, as a way of enticing new customers to join, with the list price returning to similar prices offered by competitors after a given period.
The average monthly broadband cost for 30Mbps and 50Mbps packages ranges between £20-£28, compared to £22-£40 for 100Mbps and 150Mbps deals.
A breakdown of UK broadband cost statistics by broadband provider and package
Those opting for 300Mbps and 350Mbps advertised download speeds can expect to pay anything from £20 a month with Gigaclear, up to £56 per month for Virgin Media. Should you desire some of the fastest broadband speeds on the market (900Mbps and 1Gbps), average monthly broadband costs will set you back somewhere between £25 (Toob) and £80 (Trooli, Jurassic Fibre, and County Broadband).
It’s also worth noting that some UK broadband providers charge installation costs, have varying contract lengths, and are liable to mid-contract price increases in 2024. Therefore, it’s advisable to fully check the terms and conditions before committing to a broadband package.
Saving money on your broadband bill is a high priority for many UK households, particularly during the current cost of living crisis. There are also cheap broadband deals for low-income families in the UK, such as Community Fibre, to help ensure all households across the country have the opportunity to access a decent domestic broadband service.
Recent UK broadband stats reveal that, as of February 2023, only 5.1% of UK households on Universal Credit decided to take advantage of social tariffs offered by broadband providers.
During this time, around 4.3 million UK households were receiving some form of Universal Credit, and yet only 220,000 households moved onto a social broadband tariff. This is an increase of 300% from February 2022, when the social tariff takeup figure stood at just 55,000 households.
How many people struggle to afford broadband in the UK?
Data from Ofcom shows that an estimated eight million UK households find it difficult to afford communication services. As of January 2024, more than a quarter (28%) found it difficult to keep up with the costs.
A breakdown of respondents who experienced communication affordability issues in the last month
In June 2020, around two in five (19%) households had difficulties affording their communication services. This figure stayed relatively stable until April 2022 when the number rose to over a quarter (27%).
By October 2022, the figure rose above three in 10 households for the first time, to 32%. There was some improvement in 2023, with the percentage dropping to 28%.
Most common type of broadband affordability issues in the UK
As of January 2024, the most common solution to broadband affordability issues in the UK was to “reduce spend elsewhere”, this was the choice made by 13% of respondents.
However, this was not always the case as, up until February 2022, the most common response was “to make changes to their service”.
A breakdown of the issues experienced by those struggling to afford broadband
Month and year
Cancelled a service
Made changes to a service
Made changes to the payment method
Missed a payment
Reduced spend elsewhere
Jun 2020
3%
11%
2%
3%
5%
Jan 2021
4%
12%
2%
2%
6%
Jun 2021
5%
10%
2%
2%
4%
Feb 2022
5%
11%
3%
2%
8%
Jul 2022
9%
13%
4%
3%
14%
Jan 2023
11%
12%
4%
5%
13%
Jul 2023
8%
13%
5%
3%
13%
Jan 2024
8%
12%
5%
5%
13%
(Source: Ofcom)
The percentage of people cancelling their service due to affordability issues has also risen. The broadband affordability survey shows that in June 2020, this was the response of just 3% of responders, with this number nearly tripling to 8% by January 2024.
How many people in the UK use social broadband tariffs?
More than half of low-income households are unaware of the cheaper broadband deals that could save them around £200 a year. As it stands, just 5.1% of eligible households are now signed up to these deals, which can enable struggling families to halve the cost of their broadband.
A breakdown of the take-up of social broadband tariffs over time by people on universal credit
The take-up of social broadband tariffs has steadily increased as more people become aware of the packages on offer. In February 2022, take-up was as low as 1.3%. By May 2022, this had almost doubled reaching 2.5%.
The largest single increase came between February and March 2022, when take-up increased by 0.6 percentage points.
Broadband providers and their social tariffs
ONS research suggests that as many as three in 10 households struggled to pay their communications bills in January 2023. Furthermore, over half (53%) of eligible customers aren’t aware that social tariffs exist.
Below is a list of current social broadband packages available in the UK in 2023, along with their associated monthly costs, average advertised speed, and eligibility criteria.
A breakdown of current social tariff broadband packages available in the UK 2023
Package
Price (per month)
Average speed
You could qualify if you receive...
4th Utility Social Tariff
£13.99
30Mbps
Open to all
Air Broadband Air Support
£20
100Mbps
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
BT Home Essentials
£15
Around 36Mbps
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
BT Home Essentials 2
£20
Around 67Mbps
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
Community Fibre Essential
£12.50
20Mbps
Open to all
Country Connect Social Tariff
£15
50Mbps
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
EE Basics
£12
Up to 25Mbps
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
G.Network Essential Fibre Broadband
£15
50Mbps
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
Grayshott Gigabit Connect
£19
100Mbps
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
Hyperoptic Fair Fibre 50
£15
50Mbps
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
Hyperoptic Fair Fibre 150
£20
150Mbps
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
KCOM Full Fibre Flex
£14.99
30Mbps
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
Lightning Fibre Social Tariff
£15
50Mbps
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
Lothian Broadband Social Tariff
£19.99
100Mbps
Open to all
NOW Broadband Basics
£20
36Mbps
Universal Credit or Pension Credit
Sky Broadband Basics
£20
36Mbps
Universal Credit or Pension Credit
SMARTY Social Tariff
£12
5G where available
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
Virgin Media Essential Broadband
£12
15Mbps
Universal Credit
Virgin Media Essential Broadband Plus
£20
54Mbps
Universal Credit
Vodafone Essentials Broadband
£12
38Mbps
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
VOXI For Now
£10
5G where available
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
Wildanet Helping Hand Social Tariff
£20
30-100Mbps
Universal Credit
WightFibre Essential Broadband
£16.50
100Mbps
Universal Credit or Pension Credit
(Source: Ofcom)
*Each company has its own list of eligible benefits, but all include Universal Credit. Other benefits may include Pension Credit, Job Seekers’ Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance, and Care Leavers’ Support.
UK public awareness of social broadband tariffs
Ofcom data shows that fewer than half (45%) of those surveyed knew that social broadband tariffs were available for people receiving government benefits.
A breakdown of how many people have heard of cheaper home broadband services for people who receive government benefits
A further 4% were unsure as to whether they’d heard of cheaper home broadband services for people who receive government benefits.
A breakdown of how many people have heard of cheaper home broadband services for people who receive government benefits by gender
Social broadband tariff statistics show that more women than men are aware of cheaper home broadband services for people who receive government benefits.
More than half (53%) of men didn’t know about these benefits, compared to just 49% of women.
A breakdown of how many people have heard of cheaper home broadband services for people who receive government benefits by age
Ofcom data shows that older age groups are generally more aware of the cheaper home broadband services than younger people. Less than four in 10 (38%) people aged 18-34 knew about social broadband tariffs, 14 percentage points fewer than people aged 55-64.
People aged 18-24 were also the most likely to answer don’t know, and 25-34-year-olds were the most likely to say definitively that they were not aware of social broadband tariffs. Comparatively, 45-54-year-olds and 55-64-year-olds were the only age groups where more than half knew about the social broadband tariffs.
Early Termination Charges (ETCs)
Ofcom noted that TalkTalk, Shell, EE, Plusnet, Vodafone, O2, and Three have all not committed to introducing a social tariff for home broadband.
Certain broadband providers may apply Early Termination Charges (ETCs) if the current broadband contract is ended prematurely by the customer. February 2022 data from Ofcom shows the potential value of social tariffs equates to £144 per year per customer. However, ETCs are valued at between £10-£14 per month, so if your contract has 6 months left, then you are liable to pay between £60-£84 to terminate your social tariff broadband deal early.
UK average broadband pricing trends
Broadband price statistics show that O2/Virgin Media had the greatest price increase in 2023, rising by close to a fifth (17.3%).
A breakdown of broadband in-contract price rise statistics
Provider
Service
Price rise details
Month
2023 increase
BT, EE
Broadband, landline, mobile, TV
CPI published in January +3.9%
March
14.40%
iD Mobile
Mobile
CPI published in February +3.9%
April
14.00%
KCOM
Broadband
£2 for in-contract broadband services, plus an additional £3 for those out-of-contract
March
£2-£5 per month
O2 and Virgin Media
Mobile (airtime only)
RPI published in February +3.9%
April
17.30%
Plusnet
Broadband, landline, mobile
CPI published in January +3.9%
March
14.40%
Shell Energy
Broadband, landline
CPI published in January + up to 3.0%
April
12.50%
TalkTalk
Broadband, landline
CPI published in January +3.7%
April
14.20%
Tesco Mobile
Mobile
CPI published in January +3.9%
April
14.40%
Three
Mobile, broadband
CPI published in January +3.9%
April
14.40%
Vodafone
Mobile, broadband
CPI published in January +3.9%
April
14.40%
(Source: Ofcom)
The provider with the smallest percentage rise was Shell Energy, increasing by an eighth (12.5%). Every provider increased its price to some degree.
Average price of broadband broadband services by average speeds
Broadband price statistics show that the average price of standalone fixed broadband services has fallen since 2018.
Between 2018 and 2023, the average price dropped by more than a quarter (28.5%) from £36 to £27. The speed which saw the least significant drop was between 30Mbps and 99Mbps, falling by just 5.7%.
A breakdown of average monthly prices of real standalone fixed broadband services
Generally, the faster speeds experienced larger drops. After rising between 2018 and 2019 by 5.2%, the price of 100Mbps to 299Mbps then fell by almost two-fifths (38%) between 2019 and 2023.
For the 300Mbps to 999Mbps range, the price decreased by just over four-tenths (42.7%), the largest decrease of any speed range.
A breakdown of average monthly prices of nominal standalone fixed broadband services
For the slowest broadband speeds, the price drop has been the least severe, falling by under a tenth (6.8%) from £29 in 2018 to £27 in 2023.
The only packages that saw an average price rise were for speeds between 30Mbps and 99Mbps. For this range, the price increased by just under a fifth (17.2%) from £29 to £34.
For speeds between 100Mbps and 299Mbps, and between 300Mbps and 999Mbps the price decreased by 17.2% and 34.5%, respectively within this five-year period.
Average price of broadband bundles and standalone fixed broadband services by type of broadband package
The average monthly spend on standalone and broadband bundles in real terms has seen little change. For standalone fixed broadband and dual-pay, there has been no increase in spending across 2022 and 2023.
A breakdown of average monthly spend on standalone and broadband bundles in real terms
2022
2023
Standalone fixed broadband
£31
£31
Dual-pay
£35
£35
Triple-pay
£66
£64
Quad-pay
£89
£93
(Source: Ofcom)
The average monthly spend for triple-pay accounts has decreased, but only slightly, falling by 3% from £66 to £64.
Whereas, for quad-pay accounts, the monthly amount has increased. The price has risen from £89 to £93, representing an increase of close to a twentieth (4.5%) in the previous year.
A breakdown of average monthly spend for standalone and broadband bundles in nominal terms
2022
2023
Standalone fixed broadband
£29
£31
Dual-pay
£32
£35
Triple-pay
£62
£64
Quad-pay
£83
£93
(Source: Ofcom)
In nominal terms, all four types of accounts saw their prices rise. For standalone fixed broadband accounts, the increase was minimal, rising by 6.9% from £29 to £31.
Dual-payers meanwhile saw their prices increase by close to a tenth, rising from £32 to £35. The price for triple-payers in nominal terms during this period rose by 3.2%.
Quad-payers faced the largest nominal increase, with their monthly spending increasing by 12% from £83 to £93.
The percentage difference over time between the lowest-priced provider and the average price of broadband
Data from Ofcom shows that the percentage difference between the lowest-priced and the average price of broadband has closed since the start of January 2022.
Between January 2022 and April 2022, the percentage difference decreased from 46% to 38%. However, this then increased to 45% by July 2022. By the end of December 2022, the gap had closed once again to 35%.
A breakdown showing the percentage difference in price between the lowest-price provider and average price
Between December 2022 and June 2023, the percentage difference decreased again, this time by 14 percentage points. This trend then turned around, with the percentage difference rising to 37%.
Average price of broadband bundles and standalone fixed broadband services between in-contract and out-of-contract
Average broadband price statistics show that the price of in-contract broadband is significantly less expensive than those which are out-of-contract. In all, there was a 22.5% difference between the two.
A breakdown of average monthly in-contract and out-of-contract spending for broadband customers
The largest difference came for triple-payers. Those who were out of contract paid £19 more, representing an increase of a quarter (25%).
Out-of-contract quad-payers had the smallest difference, paying almost a fifth (17%) more than their in-contract counterparts.
UK mobile broadband statistics
With almost every major mobile phone manufacturer now producing 5G capable devices, UK mobile network operators are beginning to extend coverage from large cities to smaller towns and settlements.
A breakdown of 4G and 5G mobile broadband statistics across different countries of the UK
5G broadband coverage statistics across the UK
In terms of full 5G coverage across the UK, England has the strongest connections of all four UK nations. Outside of premises, 5G signal is available across 76-85% of the nation—the only country that exceeds the minimum UK average coverage figures of 73%-82%.
UK broadband stats reveal that 5G coverage in Northern Ireland is significantly behind that of England, with only 48-55% of the nation covered near premises. Similarly, Wales also lags behind the UK average, with 5G coverage only extending to somewhere between 49%-61% of the country.
UK broadband customer satisfaction statistics
The latest UK broadband statistics found that Plusnet has the highest customer satisfaction rating of all major companies, with nearly nine in 10 (89%) customers expressing satisfaction with the overall service.
Plusnet also scores high when it comes to broadband speeds, with more than four-fifths (81%) of their customers claiming to be happy with the speeds they receive.
Visit our broadband awards page to find out which providers impressed with their services.
A breakdown of best broadband providers in the UK by customer feedback (2023)
Provider
Satisfaction with the speed of service
Customers with a reason to complain
Overall satisfaction with complaint handling
Satisfaction with service overall
BT
80%
19%
55%
83%
EE
81%
13%
55%
85%
Sky
80%
18%
55%
82%
Plusnet
83%
20%
53%
89%
TalkTalk
76%
24%
46%
78%
Virgin Media
82%
25%
46%
81%
Vodafone
82%
22%
49%
83%
(Source: Ofcom)
Note: NOW and KCOM were excluded due to a lack of relevant data regarding customer satisfaction.
EE received a customer satisfaction rating of 85% (4% less than that of Plusnet but at least 2% more than any other company). However, only 13% of EE customers said they had a reason to complain – 5% less than any other company.
Vodafone, a new entrant into the broadband market, received the joint-third highest satisfaction rating of all provided alongside BT (83%).
While more than eight out of every 10 customers (82%) were happy with the speeds provided by Vodafone, more than one in five (22%) had a reason to complain about one aspect of the service. In addition, just under half (49%) approved of Vodafone’s customer complaints handling.
A breakdown of broadband complaints statistics per 100,000 subscribers in Q3 2022 and Q1 2023
On average, 12 out of 100,000 customers in Q1 2023 complained to Ofcom about their broadband provider – an increase of one compared to Q3 2022. This shows relative stability within the broadband market regarding quality of service from broadband providers.
Ofcom customer complaints statistics show that Talk Talk accrued the most complaints in Q1 2023. Out of 100,000 customers, 20 people registered an issue with Ofcom regarding Talk Talk’s broadband service, with the primary issue being ‘complaints handling’ and ‘faults, service, and provisioning’.
Shell Energy was the second most complained about broadband provider, receiving 16 Ofcom complaints per 100,000 customers in Q3 2022 – a substantial decrease from the 27 complaints seen in Q3 2022.
Meanwhile, EE had only seven complaints in Q3 2021 – up from six in Q3 2022.
Both providers remain far below the industry average of 12 complaints per 100,000 subscribers, with NOW Broadband (9) the only other company to receive less complaints than the industry average.
Most common broadband issues in the UK
In the UK, the main reason for Ofcom complaints regarding broadband is ‘faults, service and provisioning’. This can be attributed to outages and speed throttling, alongside customer service itself, and represents less than four in 10 (33%) of all broadband complaints made to Ofcom.
UK broadband statistics show that just under one in three (29%) Ofcom complaints in 2022 related specifically to ‘complaints handling’ (i.e. the way companies deal with issues raised by the customer).
Finally, less than a fifth (16%) of UK broadband customers complained to Ofcom about their provider’s ‘billing, pricing and charges’. Talk Talk, the company with the largest number of complaints relating to broadband, had nearly a fifth (19%) of its customer complaints relating to this very reason.
In 2021, 94% of UK adults accessed the internet, equating to 63.2 million people.
In September 2022, the median average download speed in the UK was 65.3Mbps—a marked improvement over the 59.4Mbps figure recorded in March 2022. The median upload speed in 2022 also rose, standing at 15.5Mbps (a 4.9Mbps improvement from March 2022). As of 2023, the median average internet speed was 73.21Mbps.
Broadband is a high-speed internet connection that provides fast and continuous access to the internet, supporting various online activities like streaming, downloading, and browsing.
To determine what broadband options are available for you, you’ll need to check with local internet service providers (ISPs) in your area, as availability can vary by location. You can typically find this information by entering your address on ISP websites or by using online tools like broadband availability checkers.
Full-fibre broadband, also known as fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP), is an internet connection that uses optical fibre cables directly from the provider to the user’s home or business. This tends to offer significantly higher speeds and greater reliability compared to traditional copper-based connections.
FTTC (Fibre-to-the-Cabinet) broadband is an internet connection where fibre optic cables run to a street cabinet near your location, with the final leg going to your home completed via traditional copper telephone lines.
In the UK, there are over 100 registered internet service providers (ISPs) highlighting a highly competitive broadband market. Some of the major providers include BT, Sky, Virgin Media, and Vodafone, along with numerous smaller and regional providers.
UK broadband glossary
4G
4G, or Fourth Generation, is a type of broadband typically used by mobile devices. Following on from 3G, 4G is between five and seven times faster than its predecessor, allowing for a maximum potential peak download speed of 300Mbps. Although realistically, 42Mbps is consistently achievable on standard 4G with the higher speeds usually recorded on 4G LTE (A type of 4G not readily available in the UK). These speeds are a huge improvement on 3G services, which were limited to an average speed of 6Mbps in real world tests.
5G
Following on from 4G, 5G is the latest in high-speed internet connectivity, again typically used on mobile devices. 5G is seen as five times faster than 4G, and with a decreased latency, means data signals should stay stronger and more reliable as the networks roll out full coverage.
Broadband
Broadband is the most prevalent way households connect to the internet in the UK. The name derives from ‘wide-bandwidth data transmission’, and unlike its predecessor ‘dial-up’, can remain online and connected at all times.
Fibre broadband
Fibre broadband is the backbone of high-speed internet access for the UK. Instead of using traditional copper cables to send data, fibre broadband uses optical cables, which are far more capable of sending large quantities of data reliably. Fibre broadband sends data via beams of light, meaning there’s no geographical slowdown. As a result, much higher download and upload speeds are available for broadband customers.
Fixed wireless broadband
Fixed wireless broadband is a variant of broadband that uses radio signals to transmit data instead of using copper or fibre optic cables. Quite often this is using 4G or 5G connectivity and is traditionally achieved by installing a satellite dish to the top of the property. In turn, this will communicate with another device in its line of sight, and so on all the way to the initial server. This system aims to connect rural properties that cannot access copper or fibre cables, and offers similar broadband speeds to that of fibre, although often at a higher cost.
Gigabit-capable broadband
Put simply, gigabit-capable broadband offers download speeds of 1,000Mbps, or 1Gbps. Films in high definition (HD) are typically between two and four gigabytes in size, meaning it could potentially take mere seconds to fully download using gigabit-capable broadband. While this won’t make the server you’re downloading from any faster, it has the added-benefit of increasing bandwidth for your entire home. This means large families with various devices won’t experience any slowdown from their broadband.
Internet Service Provider (ISP)
Internet service provider (ISP) is the phrase used to describe companies that provide internet access to customers. Examples of such companies are BT, Virgin Media, and PlusNet. In the UK, data shows there are over 100 registered ISPs, highlighting the competitive nature of the UK broadband market.
Mbps
Mbps stands for ‘megabits per second’, and is a unit of measurement in terms of data transfer and network speed. A megabit is 1/8th of a megabyte, meaning that if you have a broadband speed of 100Mbps, you can download 12.5 megabytes per second of data (MBps). When written, ‘Mb’ stands for megabit and ‘MB’ stands for megabyte.
Since the birth of the World Wide Web in 1989 by Tim Berners Lee, the internet has become a vital tool for information, communication, and entertainment alike.
With streaming being a popular way to watch TV and listen to music, as well as working from home becoming the norm, reliable broadband is now a necessity for the majority of households across the UK.
But how accessible is broadband in the UK and beyond? We’ve collated the latest UK broadband statistics for 2023, covering broadband access, usage, speed, cost, and more.
In the UK, there were 27.3 million fixed broadband lines fitted to homes in Q3 2022, an increase of 91,000 from the time in 2022.
During the same period, data shows that 99.7% of UK homes had access to decent internet (10Mbps or above).
Over three-quarters (76%) of UK properties have access to gigabit internet, with theoretical download speeds of 1Gbps.
Nottingham suffered the longest combined outage time in the UK in 2022, with over 70 hours spent disconnected to the web.
Virgin Media offered the closest average download speeds to what they advertised (97.58%) which was 7% more than their nearest rival, Zen.
BT is the best-reviewed broadband provider, with 83% of customers satisfied with the service they receive.
UK broadband market share statistics
UK broadband market share statistics by provider
According to UK broadband market share statistics, BT, in conjunction with Plusnet and EE, have the largest number of UK customers, with 9.3 million subscribers using their broadband services.
Sky Broadband has a customer base of 6.7 million across the UK and Ireland, followed by Virgin Media (combined with O2), which has a market share of around 5.6 million.
A breakdown of UK broadband market share statistics by broadband provider (ISP) and estimated subscriber count
Glide, a specialist business to business (B2B) Wi-Fi service with a focus on students and student accommodation, has a market share of 400,000, making it the seventh most popular broadband provider in the country.
Hull-based KCOM has a market share of less than 140,000, making it the smallest broadband provider on the list with a subscriber count nearly 70 times less than BT.
UK broadband access statistics
UK broadband statistics show that there were 27.8 million fixed broadband lines in the UK at the end of Q3 2022—an increase of 91,000 (0.3%) year-on-year. Of these, around 70% (19.4 million) were predominantly FFTC or full fibre variants
The number of ADSL lines fell by 209,000 (6.6%) during the quarter. These figures are likely to have been influenced by Openreach’s ongoing ‘copper switch-off’ resulting in more people moving onto full-fibre connection.
Conversely, cable line numbers increased by 13,000 (0.2%), and the number of ‘other including FTTx’ lines increased by 154,000 (0.8%).
Between Q3 2021 and Q3 2022, the number of dedicated mobile broadband subscriptions also increased by 100,000 (1.2%) to 5.3 million nationwide.
How many people access the internet in the UK?
Over the years, the share of households with access to a “decent” broadband connection has grown steadily.
What is decent broadband?
Decent broadband is described as having a download speed of at least 10Mbps and an upload speed of at least 1Mbps.
UK broadband statistics from Ofcom’s latest Connected Nations Report discovered that 99.7% of households in the UK had access to a decent broadband connection as of September 2022. This was up by more than one percent from the last report in September 2021.
A breakdown of UK households with access to at least 10Mbps broadband services (2021-2022)
Country
May 2021
September 2021
January 2022
September 2022
UK
98%
98%
99%
99.70%
England
99%
99%
99%
99.80%
Northern Ireland
95%
95%
96%
99%
Scotland
97%
97%
97%
99%
Wales
97%
97%
98%
99%
(Source: Ofcom)
UK broadband access statistics reveal the number of properties (both residential and commercial) that cannot receive a decent broadband service from a fixed line stands at around 80,000 (or 0.3%) as of September 2022. This is a significant decrease from 650,000 in December 2021. Half of these (40,000) are located in England, with 21,000 in Scotland, 10,000 in Wales, and 9,000 in Northern Ireland.
A breakdown of UK homes and businesses unable to access decent broadband services (2021-2022)
Country
May 2021
September 2021
January 2022
September 2022
UK
0.40%
0.40%
0.30%
0.30%
England
0.30%
0.20%
0.20%
0.20%
Northern Ireland
2%
2%
2%
1%
Scotland
1%
1%
1%
1%
Wales
1%
1%
0.70%
1%
(Source: Ofcom)
What percentage of the UK has gigabit broadband?
The number of homes able to get gigabit-capable broadband continues to increase, with nearly 20.8 million (70% of all UK homes) now able to access these faster services—up from 13.7 million (47%) in December 2021.
This has, in part, been driven by the rollout of full-fibre broadband and Virgin Media O2 making its network entirely gigabit-capable.
A breakdown of UK premises with access to gigabit-capable broadband services (2021-2022)
Access to full fibre
May 2021
September 2021
January 2022
September 2022
UK
40%
47%
66%
70%
England
38%
46%
67%
71%
Northern Ireland
73%
76%
82%
87%
Scotland
47%
51%
60%
64%
Wales
30%
36%
46%
52%
(Source: Ofcom)
UK broadband access statistics indicate that gigabit-capable broadband is now available to 87% of Northern Ireland’s premises—the most of any UK nation and accounts for 0.7 million locations across the country. This is followed by England, with more than seven in every 10 locations (71%) now able to access gigabit-capable broadband (or 17.6 million premises).
Ofcom’s broadband report shows that Wales has the smallest percentage, with just over half (52%) of its homes and businesses connected to gigabit-capable broadband. However, as a total, this equates to 0.8 million—approximately 100,000 more than Northern Ireland.
Over time, the percentage of UK premises connected by gigabit-capable broadband has almost doubled, from just 40% in May 2021. England has seen the biggest increase (33%) of all four UK nations, followed by Wales (22%) within the previous 18 months.
What percentage of the UK has full fibre broadband?
UK fibre broadband statistics indicate that full fibre coverage across the country continues to increase with more than four in 10 (42% of) UK homes having access to full fibre services in September 2022. As a result, full fibre coverage sits at just under 12.4 million—an increase from 8.2 million (28%) homes in December 2021 and a seven-fold increase since 2018.
This has been bolstered through deployments by larger fibre infrastructure operators, and supported by smaller providers up and down the UK that serve individual regions.
A breakdown of UK premises with access to full fibre broadband (2021-2022)
Country
May 2021
September 2021
January 2022
September 2022
UK
24%
28%
33%
42%
England
23%
27%
31%
41%
Northern Ireland
67%
71%
79%
85%
Scotland
23%
27%
32%
41%
Wales
24%
27%
32%
40%
(Source: Ofcom)
In terms of UK broadband access statistics for full fibre internet, Northern Ireland is leading the way across all four UK nations, with 85% of its premises now served by this type of broadband. This equates to around 0.7 million properties. By contrast, Wales has managed to connect around 0.6 million homes and businesses with full fibre broadband, yet this represents only 40% of its total property numbers.
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A broadband report by Ofcom indicates England and Scotland have both managed to connect 41% of their premises with a full fibre broadband connection. However, in terms of numbers, this accounts for approximately 10.1 million and 1.1 million homes and businesses, respectively.
What percentage of the UK has superfast broadband?
Superfast broadband coverage continues to slowly grow—albeit at a reduced pace compared to gigabit and full fibre—with coverage now reaching 97% of all UK homes. This slow progress is likely due to the increased rollout of full fibre and gigabit-capable connections UK-wide.
A breakdown of access to superfast broadband services (2021-2022)
Country
May 2021
September 2021
January 2022
September 2022
UK
96%
96%
96%
97%
England
96%
96%
97%
97%
Northern Ireland
90%
91%
92%
94%
Scotland
94%
94%
94%
94%
Wales
94%
94%
95%
95%
(Source: Ofcom)
According to recent UK broadband access statistics from Ofcom, England continues to lead the way in terms of superfast broadband coverage, at 97%, followed by Wales (95%), and then Northern Ireland and Scotland (both 94%).
What about fixed wireless access (FWA) networks and wireless internet service providers (WISPs)?
Aside from gigabit, full fibre, and superfast, broadband services are also available from Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) networks provided via mobile networks, or through Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs).
Latest Ofcom data shows that FWA coverage from mobile networks is available to 95% of premises in the UK, and around 7% can receive a decent broadband service from a WISP.
A breakdown of UK premises with access to fixed wireless networks (2021-2022)
Type of network connection
May 2021
September 2021
January 2022
September 2022
UK Mobile Network Operators
(MNO)
93%
94%
94%
95%
UK Wireless Internet Service
Providers (WISPs)
6%
7%
7%
7%
(Source: Ofcom)
Wireless broadband statistics show that since May 2021, the percentage of UK premises has increased by 2%, whereas the corresponding figures for UK WISPs has risen by just 1%.
As of September 2022, UK broadband stats for MNOs indicate that 96% of England’s homes and businesses could connect to such a network, compared to just 85% for Northern Ireland. Comparative broadband figures for WISP FWA network connections in these two countries were 7% and 0%, respectively. Incidentally, almost one in three (32%) of premises in Wales could connect to a WISP FWA—the highest percentage across all four UK nations.
Bearing in mind the broadband coverage estimates provided by FWA providers, it is estimated that there are still around 80,000 UK premises that do not have access to a decent broadband service from a fixed network or an FWA network at the beginning of 2022.
UK broadband connection statistics
UK urban vs rural broadband statistics
According to UK broadband connection statistics, there is a notable difference between urban and rural connectivity across the country. Average UK broadband speeds in UK rural areas tend to be considerably slower than in urban areas.
As of March 2022, this gap has subsequently widened, with median peak-time download speeds of 39.4Mbps in rural areas and 62.1Mbps in urban areas of the UK—a 58% difference. In 2021, this figure was just 42%.
A breakdown of UK broadband connection statistics for urban and rural areas
Despite UK rural broadband speeds increasing since 2021, this rate was lower compared to urban areas, where growth in broadband availability and take-up of full fibre, superfast, ultrafast, and gigabit services are considerably greater.
According to UK broadband connection statistics, as of March 2022, 86% of UK urban broadband lines had an average peak-time download speed of at least 30Mbps, compared to just over two-thirds (67%) of rural areas.
Likewise, for those with speeds of less than 10Mbps, the corresponding figures were 14% for rural areas and just 1% for UK urban regions.
A breakdown of UK broadband connection statistics for rural and urban areas by speed and type of broadband connection
UK broadband connection statistics reveal that ADSL2+ connections constitute over 95% of all ADSL lines in the UK. As of March 2022, the median average 24-hour download speed in UK urban areas was 16.2Mbps—more than double the average for rural areas (6.0Mbps).
For FTTC broadband connections statistics, the difference between urban and rural download speeds is much smaller (50.5Mbps vs 50.0Mbps respectively). This is because there is less variation in the length of copper lines for the street cabinet to a user’s premises in urban vs rural areas.
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UK broadband figures from Ofcom indicate a 22.7Mbps difference between median average peak-time download speeds for urban and rural areas in March 2022. The corresponding figure for March 2021 was just 15.6Mbps, when speeds were 52.7Mbps and 37.1Mbps for UK urban and rural areas, respectively.
March 2022 also revealed a 19% difference between urban and rural areas in terms of average evening peak-time speeds of 30Mbps or higher (86% vs 67% in favour of urban areas). This was 5% greater than the difference recorded in March 2021.
Conversely, the broadband report from Ofcom also highlights a 13% difference between March 2022 figures for broadband lines: the average peak-time download speed (of less than 10Mbps) was 3% lower than March 2021 stats, when respective urban and rural figures stood at 5% and 21%.
A breakdown of UK urban vs rural statistics by type of broadband connection 2022
As of 2022, more than two-thirds (76%) of UK urban premises were connected by a gigabit-capable broadband connection, compared to less than 40% for rural areas. By contrast, just 35% of rural areas had full fibre broadband connectivity, compared to 43% of respective urban areas.
UK broadband connection statistics reveal that superfast broadband was the most common type of high-speed broadband connection as of 2022. Nearly all (98%) of UK urban premises, and 86% of UK rural homes and businesses, were connected with this type of internet.
Great Britain broadband connection statistics by council 2023 (exclusive data)
Our exclusive data looked at broadband connectivity in councils across Great Britain. We looked at the percentage of premises with superfast and full fibre access in each council, as well as the median download and upload speeds, to give each council a connectivity score out of 10.
A breakdown of the best British councils for broadband connectivity
Council
Superfast broadband (% premises over 30 Mbps)
Full fibre broadband (% premises FTTP)
Median download speed (Mbps)
Median upload speed (Mbps)
Connectivity score
Kingston Upon Hull, City of
99.70%
99.70%
121.8
47.1
9.95
Worthing
99.80%
86.80%
90.5
20.2
9.88
Derby
99.60%
75.00%
72.8
18.7
9.52
Watford
99.70%
65.70%
90
19.8
9.48
Broxtowe
99.50%
76.40%
90.3
17.1
9.34
Milton Keynes
99.30%
92.60%
69.7
20.1
9.34
Epsom and Ewell
99.90%
79.40%
68.4
17.8
9.33
Slough
99.10%
70.80%
93.3
18.8
9.17
Coventry
98.90%
93.10%
73.4
18.6
9.05
Barking and Dagenham
99.20%
66.70%
77
18.3
9.03
(Source: money.co.uk via Thinkbroadband, ONS, and Norris Web)
Our data found that England far exceeded Scotland and Wales for broadband connectivity, with each of the top 10 councils based in England. This dominance becomes even more evident further down our list, with 21st-placed Edinburgh the highest-ranking non-English council.
Kingston Upon Hull was found to be the best council for broadband connectivity, with a median download speed of around 122Mbps and a median upload speed of 47.1Mbps—the best recorded figures in our study. Though the East Yorkshire council topped our list, the rest of the top 10 is made up entirely of councils based in Southern England and the Midlands.
The West-Sussex town of Worthing provided the highest score of any southern council, with third-placed Derby finishing the highest of any Midland areas. Though Worthing’s average upload speed of 20.2Mbps was the second-highest in the top 10, its upload speed was around 3Mbps lower than eighth-placed Slough.
Though every council in the top 10 achieved superfast broadband access rates of over 99%, the scores for full fibre access were more modest. Only three councils in our list were found to have full fibre access rates above 90%, with Watford’s score of 65.5% providing the lowest figure in the top 10.
A breakdown of the lowest-ranked British councils for broadband connectivity
Council
Superfast broadband (% premises over 30 Mbps)
Full fibre broadband (% premises FTTP)
Median download speed (Mbps)
Median upload speed (Mbps)
Connectivity score
Orkney Islands
66.30%
2.70%
15.3
1.3
0
Shetland Islands
75.70%
4.40%
21.8
5.2
0.05
Na h-Eileanan Siar
80.10%
5.90%
23.5
4.8
0.11
Argyll and Bute
85.70%
5.80%
26.7
5.8
0.2
Angus
89.00%
15.10%
21.8
4
0.4
Perth and Kinross
88.10%
12.60%
31.5
5.8
0.52
Copeland
95.80%
3.40%
27.8
5.4
0.6
Aberdeenshire
86.50%
24.40%
27.6
5.6
0.71
Allerdale
92.50%
6.90%
34.8
6.5
0.72
Richmondshire
87.20%
15.00%
32.9
7.2
0.72
(Source: money.co.uk via Thinkbroadband, ONS, and Norris Web)
In direct contrast to our top 10, 70% of our lowest ranking councils for broadband connectivity came from Scotland. With a full fibre access score of 2.7% and a median upload speed of just 1.3Mbps, the Orkney Islands were found to be the worst place for broadband connectivity in the UK.
The Orkney Islands’ median upload speeds were 75% lower than the Shetland Islands, which finished second-last, with a full-fibre access percentage of 4.4%.
Cumbria was responsible for two of the three non-Scottish councils in our bottom 10, with Copeland and Allerdale both recording median upload speeds below 6Mbps. The only other English council in our study was Richmond, which recorded a median download speed that was 73% slower than Kingston Upon Hull.
Though none of the councils in the bottom 10 had full fibre accessibility above 25%, the results for superfast broadband were more promising. Despite scoring low overall, all 10 councils in the bottom 10 had superfast accessibility percentages above 60%, with Copeland and Allerdale each recording scores above 90%.
Great Britain’s digital divide by council 2023 (exclusive data)
Our exclusive data looked at the extent of a digital divide among councils across Great Britain. This study looked at the percentage of premises with superfast and full fibre access in each council, as well as the median download and upload speeds, to give each place a broadband connectivity score out of 10.
Coupled with this was the percentage of employees working in a technological-based industry to generate an index score for economic and employment within each council.
These two index scores were combined to create an overall digital divide score out of 10. A value closer to 10 indicates a greater extent of digital divide within the council, while a score closer to zero suggests a lesser gap between residents of that local authority.
A breakdown of the largest and smallest digital divides by councils across Great Britain 2023 in terms of broadband accessibility, economy, and employment
Council
Superfast broadband (% premises over 30 Mbps)
Full fibre broadband (% premises FTTP)
Median download speed (Mbps)
Median upload speed (Mbps)
Percentage of people who work from home* (%)
Broadband score (/10)
Economic and employment score (/10)
Digital divide score (/10)
Argyll and Bute
85.70%
5.80%
26.7
5.8
18.80%
0.17
0.36
9.79
Highland
83.80%
31.90%
29.7
5.3
23.49%
0.96
1.06
9.29
Copeland
95.80%
3.40%
27.8
5.4
24.34%
0.58
1.34
9.26
Dumfries and Galloway
88.90%
24.40%
30.1
5.7
24.22%
0.79
1.31
9.21
Allerdale
92.50%
6.90%
34.8
6.5
25.03%
0.69
1.48
9.17
West Lindsey
89.60%
31.40%
37.7
7.7
23.76%
1.72
1.14
8.99
Moray
88.80%
47.30%
35.8
7.4
22.04%
2.17
0.81
8.96
Stirling
92.80%
55.40%
26.7
5.6
22.19%
2.15
0.86
8.95
Rochdale
98.80%
17.30%
37.1
9.1
19.99%
3.02
0.5
8.72
Neath Port Talbot
98.30%
17.60%
38
8.3
22.31%
2.5
0.95
8.72
(Source: money.co.uk via Thinkbroadband, ONS, and Norris Web)
*This percentage reflects anyone who works from home as part of their job.
According to broadband connection statistics from our study, Argyll and Bute ranks as the British council with the biggest digital divide. Generating a broadband index score of just 0.17 out of 10, just 5.8% of Argyll and Bute residents have access to full fibre broadband.
Coupled with this, less than a fifth (18.8%) of its population work from home, giving them an economic and employment score of 0.36, and thus making it the lowest scoring British council for this type of factor. Both these factors combined led to Argyll and Bute receiving an overall digital divide score of 9.79 out of 10.
Based on our broadband study, five of the top 10 most digitally divided councils in Great Britain are located in Scotland. Highland is placed second on the list with a score of 9.29 out of 10, with fourth-placed Dumfries and Gallway (9.21) the third Scottish council in the top five.
The West Cumbrian council of Copeland was found to be the most digitally divided council outside of Scotland. With a median upload speed of 5.4Mbps, and just 3.4% percent of the population with full fibre broadband access, Copeland finished third with a digital divide score of 9.26.
Copeland was joined in our top 10 by three more English entries, with Allerdale (9.17), West Lindsey (8.99), and Rochdale (8.72) finishing fifth, sixth, and ninth, respectively. Though Rochdale was found to score high for superfast broadband connectivity (98.8%), the Greater Manchester council had its score compromised due to its relatively low percentage of residents working from home (20%).
The most digitally divided council in Wales is Neath Port Talbot, which ranks as the tenth worst scoring British council overall. Just under a quarter of its population (22.21%) work from home and less than a fifth (17.6%) have access to full fibre broadband.
A breakdown of the smallest digital divide by councils in Great Britain 2023 in terms of broadband accessibility, economy, and employment
(Source: money.co.uk via Thinkbroadband, ONS, and Norris Web)
*This percentage reflects anyone who works from home at least partly for their job.
Broadband connection statistics from our Great Britain digital divide study reveal that Lambeth is the least digitally divided council in the country.
An impressive score of 0.66 out of 10 is attributed to:
Extremely high level of superfast broadband connectivity (98.9%).
Moderately fast download and upload speeds (58.6Mbps and 17.5Mbps, respectively).
Relatively high percentage of employees who work from home (53.8%) compared to other British councils.
Lambeth is followed in second place by fellow London boroughs Hackney and Wandsworth, which both received digital divide scores of 0.67. Nine of the top 10 least digitally divided cities are all based in the south of England, suggesting councils in northern England and the other parts of Britain are disproportionately affected by the digital divide.
Rugby is the only non-southern council in our top 10, with the West Midlands town finishing tenth thanks to its high scores for superfast connectivity (98.5%) and people working from home (52.5%).
Outside of England, the City of Edinburgh was found to be the least digitally divided Scottish council. With an impressive full fibre coverage rate of nearly 75%, and median upload speeds of 71Mbps, the Scottish capital finished 16th overall with a digital divide score of 1.56.
The Vale of Glamorgan was the best performing Welsh council, finishing joint-21st with a digital divide score of 1.73.
UK broadband outage statistics
Broadband outage statistics across the UK
According to research by Uswitch, 11 million customers experienced broadband outages of three hours or more between 2021 and 2022. With more than 50% of the UK’s workforce still working from home in some capacity, this means significant disruption for UK employees and businesses.
The financial implications of this are estimated to be around £1.3 billion, highlighting the ever-growing importance of having a stable broadband connection in your home.
A breakdown of broadband outage statistics in the UK by major city
According to Uswitch broadband outage statistics, Nottingham was the UK city with the highest average downtime between the summers of 2021 and 2022.
Broadband customers here experienced on average more than 70 hours of downtime within the 12-month period. This is followed by Southampton, with almost 46 hours, then Manchester and Bristol—both with more than 38 hours of broadband connection problems across the year.
The impact of storms on UK broadband outages
Between 2021 and 2022, the UK was hit by a number of severe storms, which had a significant impact on communication services. In November 2021, the gale force winds of Storm Arwen reached 100mph, causing complete power outages for almost one million customers across the UK. 40,000 were without supply for more than three days, and nearly 4,000 were cut off for over a week.
Storm Eunice in February 2022, also caused record power outages over a 24-hour period, affecting over 1.4 million UK households.
These storms caused considerable damage to Openreach’s overground network, destroying more than 650 poles across the country, with South Wales, the South of England, and East Anglia affected the most.
The loss of power lines created the majority of disruption for UK broadband customers, impacting large providers as well as small-scale fibre networks. The impact was mostly felt in rural areas, due to the prevalence of overhead power lines as opposed to urban areas which are routinely buried underground.
During Storm Arwen in late 2021, over 1,500 of Openreach’s exchange sites were running on back-up generators, and fibre street cabinets were also running on reserve batteries. These can typically last for four hours, yet due to the prolonged power outages in some areas, this also resulted in many fibre street cabinets losing power supply.
A breakdown of monthly reported incidents of mobile and fixed broadband outages across the UK
UK mobile phone statistics relating to outages indicate over 1,200 incidents were logged with Ofcom throughout 2022—an increase of 761 since 2021.
The number of fixed-network incidents rose from 426 in 2021 to 545 in 2022, and was broadly in line with the previous year-on-year variability. However, the number of mobile network incidents more than doubled, from 335 to 736 between 2021-22.
The average number of monthly reported incidents in 2022 stood at 95, compared to just 62 in 2021. The winter storms of 2021-22 had a significant impact on this, particularly during December-March when reported incidents peaked at 147 incidents.
Conversely, this was followed by a significant drop of reported outages in April 2022, when figures almost halved from the previous month to just 61.
UK broadband usage statistics by age
Age of internet users in the UK vs the world
In the UK in 2020, 92.1% of the population aged 16 and over used the internet. As expected, this number has continued to grow over time, increasing from 79.4% a decade earlier—a rise of 16%. By 2021, this figure had risen to 94% of UK households.
A breakdown of UK broadband usage statistics by age group
As of 2021, 6% of UK adults do not have access to the internet at home, and this figure increases with age. A fifth (20%) of those aged 65+ do not have domestic internet access, compared to just 1% of 18-34-year-olds.
Those aged 65+ are also most likely to have internet access but not use it (7%), compared to a UK average of 2%. Less than three-quarters (73%) of those aged 65+ have internet access at home and use it—the only age group in Ofcom’s study to not record a figure of 96% or above for this category.
A breakdown of internet users in the UK by age group over time (2011-20)
Over the last 10 years, 16-to-24-year-olds used the internet the most, except for 2019 when 25-to-34-year-olds finished highest with 0.2% more users. This was short-lived, though, as 16-to-24-year-olds regained the top spot. As of 2020, the largest proportion of internet users came from the 16-24 and 25-35 age groups, with a share of 99.5% each.
Internet connections in households with one adult aged 65 years and over have increased since 2019 to 80%, however, these households still have the lowest proportion of internet connections overall.
UK internet user statistics by socio-economic group
AB
C1
C2
DE
No internet access at home
2%
3%
5%
14%
Have access at home and go online
97%
96%
91%
82%
Have access at home, but do not use it
1%
1%
4%
3%
(Source: Ofcom)
UK broadband usage statistics indicate that those in higher socio-economic groups (such as AB and C1) tend to have a higher percentage of access to the internet at home, compared to those in the lower socio-economic groups (such as C2 and DE).
Around one in seven (14%) of those in the lowest group (DE) have no internet access at home, compared to just 2% and 3% for AB and C1, respectively. By contrast, 82% of those in the DE group have access at home and go online, compared to 97% for those in the wealthiest group (AB).
UK internet user statistics by different parts of the UK
England
Scotland
Wales
Northern Ireland
No internet access at home
6%
7%
9%
1%
Have access at home and go online
92%
81%
90%
95%
Have access at home, but do not use it
2%
1%
1%
3%
(Source: Ofcom)
The spread of internet users across the UK is unevenly distributed. UK broadband usage statistics from Ofcom indicate that, as of June 2022, 9% of people in Wales still have no internet access at home, compared to just 1% of those in Northern Ireland. Comparable broadband statistics for England and Scotland stand at 6% and 7%, respectively.
Northern Ireland is very much leading the way with 95% of people connected to the internet and regularly using the internet. By contrast, only 81% of Scottish inhabitants can boast the same fact.
Average UK daily internet usage statistics by age
According to UK broadband usage statistics from Ofcom’s Online Nations report (2022), the average UK adult spends just under four hours a day online. This figure is highest among the younger age groups, with those between 15 and 24 years old spending more than five hours a day (on average) using the internet.
Incidentally, those aged 55+ spend the least amount of time online per day, at just under three hours on average.
A breakdown of average UK daily internet usage statistics by age group
Average UK daily internet usage statistics by nation
Across all four nations of the UK, residents in Scotland spent the longest time each day online, averaging four hours 18 minutes. This is followed by England (at just under four hours per person) and Wales (three hours, 43 minutes) for the average resident.
A breakdown of UK daily internet usage statistics by country
England
Scotland
Wales
Northern Ireland
Average daily time spent online (hours: mins)
03:59
04:18
03:43
03:25
(Source: Ofcom)
Those living in Northern Ireland spend the least amount of time online each day on average, at three hours, 25 minutes per person.
Global internet user statistics
In 2021, just over a third of internet users were aged between 25 and 34 years old, making up the largest share of online users around the globe. Those aged between 18 and 24 years old contribute just under a quarter of online users worldwide, and 35 to 44-year-olds take up almost 19%.
The global digital population aged 65 or older represented approximately 5.5% of all internet users worldwide.
A breakdown of internet users worldwide by age group (2021)
On a global scale, almost two-thirds (63%) of the world’s population had access to the internet in April 2022.
Advancements in technology, along with the fast-paced development of telecommunication networks and infrastructure around the globe, have directly impacted internet penetration globally.
As a result, the number of internet users has increased since 2005, from 1.02 billion to an estimated 4.9 billion in 2021 – up three million from the year before (4.6 billion).
A breakdown of internet users by country (2023)
According to an internet user statistics report, there were around five billion people on the internet, as of January 2023.
China ranked as the country with the most internet users worldwide. With more than a billion internet users, this was more than triple the amount of third-placed USA with 307 million, and almost double that of India in second (692 million).
Despite China having by far the most internet users, its overall percentage of users (72%) was considerably lower than the United States and United Kingdom, who recorded percentages of 91% and 96%, respectively. Similarly, though India had the fourth highest number of internet users (around 692 million), this represented less than half of their overall population (43%).
With approximately 66 million internet users, the UK has the sixteenth highest number of internet users—six million more than France in 18th.
A breakdown of global internet penetration rate by region (April 2022)
Broadband penetration statistics reveal that, as of April 2022, Northern Europe had the highest internet penetration rate, with 98% of the population having access to the internet. Western Europe followed closely behind, with 94%.
Asia has the largest internet user base, with an estimated 2.7 billion internet users hailing from the region (this can be explained by its global population share). East Asia contributed the majority with an online penetration rate of close to 73% as of April 2022—just above the global average of 63%. Despite this, Asia is far from being a leader in regard to online penetration.
Fixed broadband internet subscriptions around the world (2021)
Global broadband penetration statistics show that almost one in three households have access to the internet via a fixed broadband connection. When broken down by region, however, Europe leads the way. Over 86% of European households have a fixed Internet connection, followed in second place by The Americas, with almost 80%.
The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) represents those countries formed through the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Just over three-quarters of these households have a fixed Internet connection, compared to almost 72% of those located in Asia and the Pacific.
The Arab States refer to the 22 Arab nations, who are members of the Arab League, and span across North Africa and the Middle East. Just over half of these households (56%) have access to the internet via fixed broadband, which is below the global average of 65.79%.
Less than 3% of African households have access to a fixed broadband internet connection, which highlights the infrastructural chasm between the developed and the developing parts of our world.
Despite this, it's worth noting that the number of households with a fixed broadband connection in the Arab States and Africa could be significantly lower than in other regions because they rely on other types of broadband to access the internet, such as mobile broadband or satellite.
UK broadband speed statistics
Choosing a broadband package that is right for you will largely depend on your budget, what you intend to use your internet for, and the broadband speed you require to complete those activities.
Uswitch classifies* broadband speeds into the following four main categories:
Standard broadband: Uses ADSL technology to provide average download speeds of around 10-11Mbps.
Superfast broadband: Uses fibre-optic cables to deliver a range of speeds, from 30-100Mbps.
Ultrafast broadband: Delivers speeds between 100-1,000Mbps.
Gigabit broadband: Providing internet speeds of 1,000Mbps (1Gbps) and above.
The UK Government criteria for a “decent” broadband service is generally described as having a download speed of at least 10 Mbps and an upload speed of at least 1Mbps. This is what you usually get with a standard broadband package, and enables you to carry out tasks like browsing the internet, online shopping, and sending emails.
*This is based on what broadband providers refer to in their products.
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As of March 2021, the median average internet speed in the UK was 50.4Mbps. This is a sharp increase of 40% from five years earlier, when the average was just 36Mbps. By March 2022, this had risen to 59.4Mbps—a 9Mbps (18%) increase on the previous year, as people upgraded to faster broadband services across the UK.
UK broadband speed statistics reveal that more than nine out of every 10 UK households with internet now opt for a superfast package, with advertised download speeds of 30Mbps or higher. As of March 2022, this figure stood at 91%, with 8% choosing ultrafast broadband packages (average advertised speeds of at least 300Mbps).
A breakdown of average UK broadband speeds over time (2017-2022)
UK average download speeds by time of day
UK average download speeds tend to slow during busy periods when broadband networks suffer the effects of—what’s known as—contention. In plain terms, this means competition for resources.
Across all connections in March 2022, the average UK daily minimum speed (52.9Mbps) was around 86% of the average maximum speed (61.0Mbps). This was a 6.7Mbps rise in the average minimum speed, and a 9.9Mbps increase for the average maximum speed, in the UK compared to March 2021.
A breakdown of median average UK broadband speeds by time of day
UK broadband speed statistics reveal that, as of March 2022, the average 24-hour speed stood at 59.4Mbps for all connections, yet only 12.8Mbps for those between 10-30Mbps advertised speed. This was contrasted by average 24-hour speeds of almost 64Mbps for connection types with 30Mbps or higher.
Ofcom research shows that across all connections, the average 8-10pm peak-time speed (57.3Mbps) was 94% of the average maximum speed, compared to 88% for fibre and cable lines with advertised speeds of 30Mbps or more, and 83% for lines between 10-30Mbps.
Fixed broadband speeds vs reported internet speeds
Interested in finding out the difference between fixed broadband package speeds and the reported internet speeds, Uswitch analysed Ofcom fixed broadband performance data from homes across the UK.
We obtained data on the region, internet service provider (ISP), broadband connection, and peak recorded download speeds from over 3,300 homes with fixed broadband. From this, we found the listed average download speeds for broadband connections in each home using each ISP website.
The percentage difference between the listed ISP broadband download speeds versus the connection’s reported peak download speed was then calculated for each ISP, broadband package, and UK region.
A breakdown of fixed broadband speeds vs reported internet speed statistics across various UK internet service providers (ISPs)
Internet service provider
Average download speed (%)
Virgin
97.58
Zen
90.67
BT
88.74
Plusnet
87.72
EE
86.09
Sky
83.98
Vodafone
83.74
TalkTalk
81.39
(Source:Uswitch)
Virgin had the highest average download speed of all internet service providers (ISPs) analysed, with a difference of 97.58%. The only other ISP with an average download speed of 90% or more is Zen, with 90.67%. Comparatively, TalkTalk’s average download speed is just 81.39%.
Fixed broadband package download speeds vs reported internet speeds across various ISP broadband packages (2022)
ISP broadband connections
Package download speed (Mbps)
Reported download speed average (Mbps)
BT 160 FTTP
150
145.83
BT 38 FTTC
36
26.82
BT 52 FTTC
50
43.18
BT 76 FTTC
74
62.95
BT 76 FTTP
74
73.8
EE 38 FTTC
36
32.2
EE 76 FTTC
74
61.72
Plusnet 38 FTTC
36
29.42
Plusnet 76 FTTC
66
60.61
Sky 38 FTTC
36
29.74
TalkTalk 38 FTTC
38
32.23
TalkTalk 76 FTTC
80
62.26
Virgin 100 Cable
108
109.47
Virgin 1000 Cable
1130
953.4
Virgin 200 Cable
213
208.58
Virgin 350 Cable
362
374.69
Virgin 500 Cable
516
540.35
Vodafone 76 FTTC
73
60.17
(Source: Uswitch)
We found that three out of five broadband connections from Virgin Media had a higher average download speed than stated in their package. Virgin’s M500 cable connection lists its package speed as 516Mbps, but the average download speed reported via Ookla reaches 540.35Mbps.
A similar story can be said for BT, with its broadband download speeds close to those listed in its package details. However, the BT 38 Superfast connection is reportedly 10 Mbps less than stated in the package (36Mbps vs 26.82Mbps).
On the other end of the spectrum, TalkTalk has the worst package speed vs reported internet speed, with their 38 FTTC and 76 FTTC packages both failing to reach the download speeds consumers pay for.
A breakdown of UK average download speed of fixed broadband packages (2021
According to UK average download speed statistics from our study, Virgin 100, 350, and 500 cable broadband packages each outperformed their advertised download speeds when it came to reported download speed figures. Virgin’s 500 cable broambpsedband advertises speeds of 516Mbps, yet reported download speed stats in 2021 indicate customers were receiving nearer 540 Mbps on average.
Our findings indicate that the vast majority of UK broadband providers were delivering somewhere between 80-90% of advertised broadband speeds to customers in 2021. BT’s 160 and 76 FTTP services both achieved scores in the high 90s for their reported download speeds as a percentage of their advertised speeds (145.83Mbps and 73.9Mbps, respectively).
At the other end of the scale, BT’s 38 FTTC package was the joint-lowest package in our study for advertised download speeds at 36Mbps, yet achieved less than 75% of this when it came to reported download speed figures. This was followed closely by Talk Talk’s 76 FTTC service, reporting almost 78% of its advertised 80Mbps package.
A breakdown of UK average download speed by region
Region
Average download speed (%)
London
93.6
Yorkshire & Humberside
90.81
North East
90.39
South West
90.17
South East
89.4
Northern Ireland
88.88
East Midlands
88.33
West Midlands
88.2
Wales
88.02
East
86.1
North West
86.08
Scotland
85.11
(Source: Uswitch)
England’s capital, London, has the fastest average download speed of all regions in the UK, with an average download speed of 93.6%. Yorkshire and the Humber, the North East and South West follow behind with average download speeds in the 90% range.
Scotland, on the other hand, fares the worst of all, with an average download speed of 85.11%—a difference of 8% from London at the top of the table.
Internet download speed statistics by UK local authority
Which local authority has the fastest and slowest download speeds in the UK?
To find out, we utilised iOS and Android Speedtest data from Q2 2022 via Ookla. We then applied this to local authority boundaries, as per the Office of National Statistics, to highlight the average download, upload and latency performance speeds for each local authority.
A breakdown of the UK local authorities with the fastest and slowest download speeds
Southampton has the fastest average download speed, clocking in at 166.677Mbps. This was closely followed by Stockon-on-Tees, with a download speed of 166.356Mbps.
Third place goes to Newham with a download speed of 157.795Mbps, fourth to Coventry (157.652Mbps), and fifth to Peterborough (157.509Mbps).
On the other end of the scale, the local authority with the slowest download speed is the Isles of Scilly, with an average download speed of 24.536Mbps—142.141Mbps slower than first place Southampton.
A breakdown of the UK local authorities with the fastest and slowest upload speeds
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets takes the crown for the fastest average upload speed, measuring an impressive 107.851Mbps. Tower Hamlets is followed closely behind by Milton Keynes, with an average speed of 105.531 Mbps.
Southampton, which has the fastest average download speed, also has the third-fastest upload speed, clocking in at an average of 102.859 Mbps.
On the other end of the scale, as well as having the slowest download speed in the UK, the Isles of Scilly has the slowest upload speed too. The local authority racks up an average upload speed of just 6.555 Mbps, which is almost 16 times slower than Tower Hamlets in first place.
Are you suffering from slow broadband speeds? Check out our guide to find out why your internet is so slow and how to fix the issue.
A breakdown of the UK local authorities with the fastest and slowest latency speeds
Online gaming statistics reveal that the best broadband for online gaming will provide a response time of less than 100 milliseconds (ms) in order to provide a good experience, (although some online gaming apps require 50ms).
Our research identified that the London Borough of Tower Hamlets has the best average latency speed, measuring just 9.554 ms. Second place goes to Newham, another London Borough, with an equally impressive latency speed of 9.846 ms.
Latency definition: Latency refers to the delay before a transfer of data begins. A connection with low latency often feels more responsive for simple tasks like internet browsing.
Residents in the Outer Hebrides in Scotland don’t have it quite so good, clocking an average latency speed of 58.874 ms. This is still reasonable and would allow residents to carry out simple tasks online, however, there is a considerable difference of 49.32 ms from Tower Hamlets in first place.
Which UK street has the fastest and slowest broadband speed?
A breakdown of the UK streets with the slowest and fastest broadband (2021)
As of December 2021, the street with the slowest broadband speed was Wistaston Road in Crewe, where residents have an average broadband speed of just 0.25Mbps. At this speed, according to our download time calculator, it would take residents over two-and-a-half days to download a two-hour HD film and almost 24 hours to download a 45-minute HD TV show.
Check out our latest TV and broadband deals to help find a product that is right for you.
By contrast, residents living on Britain’s fastest street for broadband, Haul Fryn in Birchgrove, Swansea, experience an average speed of 882.03Mbps. This means Wistaston Road is a staggering 3,567 times slower than Haul Fryn, and residents would only have to wait about a minute to download the same film or a mere 24 seconds to download the same show.
UK mobile broadband statistics
With over 20% of new mobile devices capable of accessing the 5G broadband network, mobile network operators are beginning to extend coverage from large cities to smaller towns and urbanisations, whilst also improving 4G connectivity across the UK.
A breakdown of 4G and 5G mobile broadband statistics across different countries of the UK
5G broadband coverage statistics across the UK
In terms of full 5G coverage across the UK, England has the strongest connections of all four UK nations. Outside of premises, 5G signal is available across 42-61% of the nation—the only country within the UK that exceeds the minimum average coverage figures for the UK of 39-58%.
UK broadband stats reveal that 5G coverage in Northern Ireland is significantly behind that of England, with only 14-26% of the nation covered near premises. Similarly, Wales also lags behind the UK average, with 5G coverage only extending to somewhere between 10-46% of the country.
5G coverage statistics per operator
5G across the UK is covered by multiple MNOs, or Mobile Network Operators. BT and EE, Three, Virgin Media and O2, and Vodafone offer some of the UK’s fastest mobile coverage on the market.
A breakdown of 5G coverage statistics by operator and their percentage coverage for outside UK premises
5G network provider
% coverage outside UK premises
Three
58%
BT and EE
55%
Vodafone
42%
Virgin Media and O2
38%
(Source: Ofcom)
Of all MNOs, Three offers the widest 5G coverage, with 58% of UK outdoor premises covered by a 5G signal. In a close second is BT and EE, working together for their 5G offering, covering over half (55%) of outdoor premises confidently—this represents just 3% less than that of Three. Virgin Media and O2’s coupling yields the least coverage across the UK, with 38% of outdoor premises having access to a consistent 5G signal.
In terms of the UK’s four nations, England has 42-61% 5G coverage outside premises, whereas Scotland has only 29-51%. Comparatively, Wales and Northern Ireland lag behind the other two nations, with 10-46% and 14-26% 5G coverage, respectively.
4G broadband coverage statistics across the UK
Across all four nations in the UK, 4G coverage is far more widespread than that of its more modern counterpart, 5G. The average 4G coverage for the UK is above 99%, equal to the highest ever recorded across the UK in 2021.
4G coverage across England reflects that of the entire UK (99% and above). However, that applies to ‘outside premises’, meaning signal availability in areas such as villages, towns, and cities. 4G coverage geographically across the nation is somewhere between 92-94%, meaning that between 6-8% of the landmass is currently not covered by a consistent 4G signal. Only 2% of England has zero 4G signal, and that figure has remained stable from the 2% recorded in 2021.
In Scotland, 4G outside premises is between 97-99% coverage, almost rivalling that of the UK’s average. However, in terms of full-geographic coverage, they only have 57-75% of their landmass covered by 4G, meaning large swathes of the nation remain without consistent 4G broadband. The 4G signal figure has, however, improved somewhat since recording 57-73% 4G coverage in 2021. 17% of the country has zero access to 4G, an improvement of 1% over data from 2021.
Corresponding UK broadband stats show that Wales offers similar 4G coverage to Scotland, in terms of 4G outside premises (96-99%). With regards to 4G coverage by geography, Wales has 73-85% of their landmass covered—almost 20% more compared to Scotland. However, 10% of Wales has zero access to 4G, 2% more than the UK’s average of 8%.
Northern Ireland’s 4G coverage is 98-99% for outside premises, representing the second-best 4G coverage statistics in the UK. In terms of geographic coverage, the country recorded 88-92% in 2022–-again, a recorded figure that is higher than all other UK nations apart from England. Only 3% of NI’s landmass has zero access to 4G, markedly better than Wales and Scotland, and 5% better than the UK average.
A breakdown of 4G coverage statistics per operator (2022)
4G network provider
% coverage across geographical landmass (2022)
% improvement from 2021
BT and EE
87%
0.01
Virgin Media and O2
82%
0.02
Vodafone
82%
0%
Three
80%
0.01
(Source: Ofcom)
UK broadband statistics indicate BT and EE’s 4G coverage has the widest reach amongst network operators, with 87% of the UK’s entire landmass covered by their signal. This is a small improvement of 1% since 2021.
In joint-second is Virgin Media and O2, alongside Vodafone. They each have 82% of the UK’s landmass covered by 4G signal, although in the case of VMO2, the 82% figure is a 2% increase over 2021 figures, compared to 0% increase for Vodafone.
5G’s largest provider, Three, has the smallest amount of 4G signal coverage in the UK as of 2022, with 80% of the landmass covered. This represents a small improvement of 1% compared to 4G coverage statistics for 2021.
Rural vs urban 4G coverage statistics across the UK
BT and EE, Virgin Media and O2, Three, and Vodafone all claim 100% 4G coverage of UK urban areas, exactly the same as offered in 2021.
However, in rural parts of the UK, 4G coverage doesn’t exceed 84%. BT and EE claim that figure, covering the largest geographical area with signal—a 2% improvement on their 2021 figures.
Virgin Media and O2 also improved between 2021-22, raising their rural UK coverage figure to 80% (a 2% increase from 2021).
Neither Three nor Vodafone improved in 2022 on their 2021 rural coverage statistics, with Vodafone achieving 80% and Three achieving only 76%.
The average cost of broadband UK
Pricing for broadband services from the UK’s independent full-fibre network operators can be lower than those from established providers—an important factor when it comes to potentially switching your broadband.
According to Uswitch’s global broadband index, the UK ranks as the fifth most affordable country in the world for broadband, as a percentage of income per capita. With an average of £26.39 per month, this equates to around 1.16% of the average citizen’s monthly earnings—a statistic only bettered by Israel (0.78%), Lithuania (0.97%), France (1.14%), and Luxembourg (1.15%).
Data from Ofcom shows full-fibre broadband pricing for selected independent providers, as well as BT using the Openreach full-fibre network and Virgin Media (which uses DOCSIS 3.1 cable and full-fibre technology) to provide ultrafast services. New operators (such as Community Fibre, Hyperoptic, and G.Network) have also entered the broadband market in 2022, resulting in more choice for UK broadband customers.
On top of the monthly price, some broadband providers charge fees for activation, set-up, or installation, which is dependent on the provider and contract length. Broadband deals with no upfront costs are available on the market, but you will need to check this before committing to a package.
Want to try and avoid installation costs? Check out our guide on how to self-install your broadband as a potential method of saving some money.
Broadband installation cost also depends on whether the broadband provider is registered to the Government’s Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS). The scheme, which has been running since 2021, can provide up to £210 million worth of funding to help homes and businesses cover the costs of installing gigabit broadband.
Households eligible for this can claim vouchers worth up to £1,500 through a registered broadband provider, and businesses can claim up to £3,500.
A breakdown of UK broadband cost statistics by broadband provider and package
Knowing when to switch your broadband is no easy answer. Average UK broadband costs vary considerably between providers and the type of broadband you purchase. Some providers will offer promotional prices, as a way of enticing new customers to join, with the list price returning to similar prices offered by competitors after a given period of time.
The average monthly broadband cost for 30Mbps and 50Mbps packages ranges between £20-£28, compared to £22-£40 for 100Mbps and 150Mbps deals.
It’s also worth noting that some UK broadband providers will charge installation costs, have varying lengths of contract, and are liable to mid-contract price increases in 2023. Therefore, it’s advisable to fully check the terms and conditions before committing to a broadband package.
Those opting for 300Mbps and 350Mbps advertised download speeds can expect to pay anything between £20 a month with Gigaclear up to £56 per month for Virgin Media. Should you desire some of the fastest broadband speeds on the market (900Mbps and 1Gbps), average monthly broadband costs will set you back somewhere between £25 (Toob) and £80 (Trooli, Jurassic Fibre, and County Broadband).
Saving money on your broadband bill is a high priority for many UK households, particularly during the current cost of living crisis. There are also cheap broadband deals for low income families in the UK, such as Community Fibre, to help ensure all households across the country have the opportunity to access a decent domestic broadband service.
Recent UK broadband stats reveal that, as of August 2022, only 3.2% of UK households on Universal Credit decided to take advantage of social tariffs offered by broadband providers. During this time, around 4.2 million UK households were receiving some form of Universal Credit, and yet only 136,000 households moved onto a social broadband tariff. This is an increase of almost 150% from February 2022, when the social tariff takeup figure stood at just 55,000 households.
Broadband providers and their social tariffs
ONS research suggests that as many as three in 10 households struggled to pay for their communications bills in July 2022. Furthermore, up to seven in 10 eligible customers aren’t aware that social tariffs exist.
Below is a list of current social broadband packages available in the UK in 2023, along with their associated monthly costs, average advertised speed, and eligibility criteria.
A breakdown of current social tariff broadband packages available in the UK 2023
Package
Price (per month)
Average speed
You could qualify if you receive...
4th Utility Social Tariff
£13.99
30Mbps
Open to all
Air Broadband Air Support
£20
100Mbps
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
BT Home Essentials
£15
Around 36Mbps
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
BT Home Essentials 2
£20
Around 67Mbps
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
Community Fibre Essential
£12.50
20Mbps
Open to all
Country Connect Social Tariff
£15
50Mbps
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
EE Basics
£12
Up to 25Mbps
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
G.Network Essential Fibre Broadband
£15
50Mbps
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
Grayshott Gigabit Connect
£20
100Mbps
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
Hyperoptic Fair Fibre 50
£15
50Mbps
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
Hyperoptic Fair Fibre 150
£20
150Mbps
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
KCOM Full Fibre Flex
£14.99
30Mbps
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
Lightning Fibre Social Tariff
£15
50Mbps
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
Lothian Broadband Social Tariff
£19.99
100Mbps
Open to all
NOW Broadband Basics
£20
36Mbps
Universal Credit or Pension Credit
Sky Broadband Basics
£20
36Mbps
Universal Credit or Pension Credit
SMARTY Social Tariff
£12
5G where available
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
Virgin Media Essential Broadband
£12.50
15Mbps
Universal Credit
Virgin Media Essential Broadband Plus
£20
54Mbps
Universal Credit
Vodafone Essentials Broadband
£12
38Mbps
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
VOXI For Now
£10
5G where available
Various benefits (in and out of work)*
Wildanet Helping Hand Social Tariff
£20
30-100Mbps
Universal Credit
WightFibre Essential Broadband
£16.50
100Mbps
Universal Credit or Pension Credit
(Source: Ofcom)
*Each company has its own list of eligible benefits, but all include Universal Credit. Other benefits may include Pension Credit, Job Seekers’ Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance, and Care Leavers’ Support.
Early Termination Charges (ETCs)
Ofcom noted that TalkTalk, Shell, EE, Plusnet, Vodafone, O2, and Three have all not committed to introducing a social tariff for home broadband.
Certain broadband providers may apply Early Termination Charges (ETCs) if the current broadband contract is ended prematurely by the customer. February 2022 data from Ofcom shows the potential value of social tariffs equate to £144 per year per customer. However, ETC’s are valued at between £10-£14 per month, so if your contract has 6 months left, then you are liable to pay between £60-£84 in order to terminate your social tariff broadband deal early.
If you fit the criteria for a social tariff and therefore decide to change provider, be aware that your current supplier may charge an ETC penalty for breaking the contract early. Always consider the terms and conditions of your broadband contract before making the move.
UK broadband customer satisfaction statistics
As well as having the most customers across the nation, UK broadband customer satisfaction statistics also suggest that BT also has the highest overall customer satisfaction rate in the broadband industry.
Almost nine in every 10 (88%) of broadband subscribers approved of BT’s services, far better than the industry average of 83%.
With a score of 83%, BT also exceeds the industry average speed satisfaction rate of 80%. More than half (55%) of customers were happy with the way BT dealt with complaints, beating Sky Broadband by 1%.
Visit our broadband awards page to find out which providers impressed with their services.
A breakdown of best broadband providers in the UK by customer feedback (2022)
Provider
Satisfaction with speed of service (average 80%)
Customers with a reason to complain (average 20%)
Overall satisfaction with complaint handling (average 50%)
Satisfaction with service overall (average 83%)
BT
83%
18%
55%
88%
EE
79%
17%
49%
85%
Sky
82%
16%
54%
84%
Plusnet
78%
20%
43%
79%
TalkTalk
73%
21%
43%
78%
Virgin Media
79%
23%
45%
78%
Vodafone
81%***
26%
45%
77%***
With streaming being a popular way to watch TV and listen to music, as well as working from home becoming the norm, reliable broadband is now a necessity for the majority of households across the UK.
But how accessible is broadband in the UK and beyond? We’ve collated the latest UK broadband statistics for 2023, covering broadband access, usage, speed, cost, and more.
Compare broadband deals to ensure you get the best broadband for your needs.
Broadband connection statistics
How many people access the internet in the UK?
Over the years, the share of households with access to a “decent” broadband connection has grown steadily.
Data from Ofcom’s latest Connected Nations Report discovered that 99.7% of households in the UK had access to a decent connection as of January 2022, up one per cent from the last report in September 2021.
What is decent broadband?
Decent broadband is described as having a download speed of at least 10 Mbit/s and an upload speed of at least 1 Mbit/s.
A breakdown of access to at least 10 Mbit/s services (2021-2022)
Access to at least 10Mbps services
May 2021
September 2021
January 2022
UK
98%
98%
99%
England
99%
99%
99%
Northern Ireland
95%
95%
96%
Scotland
97%
97%
97%
Wales
97%
97%
98%
Source: Ofcom
The number of properties (both residential and commercial) that cannot receive a decent broadband service from a fixed line stands at around 506,000 (2%), dropping from 650,000 in December 2021.
A breakdown of homes and businesses unable to access decent broadband services (2021-2022)
Unable to access 10Mbps
May 2021
September 2021
January 2022
UK
0.40%
0.40%
0.30%
England
0.30%
0.20%
0.20%
Northern Ireland
2%
2%
2%
Scotland
1%
1%
1%
Wales
1%
1%
0.70%
Source: Ofcom
What percentage of the UK has gigabit broadband?
The number of homes able to get gigabit-capable broadband continues to increase, with nearly 19.3 million homes (66% of all UK homes) now able to access these faster services — up from 13.7 million (47%) in December 2021.
This has, in part, been driven by the rollout of full-fibre broadband and Virgin Media O2 making its network entirely gigabit-capable.
A breakdown of access to gigabit-capable broadband services (2021-2022)
Access to gigabit-capable services
September 2022
January 2023
May 2023
UK
70%
73%
75%
England
71%
75%
76%
Northern Ireland
87%
90%
91%
Scotland
64%
68%
69%
Wales
52%
57%
60%
Source: Ofcom
What percentage of the UK has full fibre broadband?
Full fibre coverage continues to increase, with a third (33%) of homes having access to full fibre services at the beginning of 2022. As a result, full fibre coverage sits at just under 9.6 million, an increase from 8.2 million (28%) homes in December 2021.
This has been bolstered through deployments by larger fibre infrastructure operators, and supported by smaller providers up and down the UK that serve individual regions.
A breakdown of access to full fibre broadband (2021-2022)
Access to full fibre
May 2021
September 2021
January 2022
UK
24%
28%
33%
England
23%
27%
31%
Northern Ireland
67%
71%
79%
Scotland
23%
27%
32%
Wales
24%
27%
32%
Source: Ofcom
What percentage of the UK has superfast broadband?
Superfast broadband coverage continues to slowly grow — albeit at a reduced pace compared to gigabit and full fibre — with coverage remaining at 96% of all UK homes. This slow progress is likely due to the increased rollout of full fibre and gigabit-capable connections UK-wide.
A breakdown of access to superfast broadband services (2021-2022)
Access to superfast fibre
May 2021
September 2021
January 2022
UK
96%
96%
96%
England
96%
96%
97%
Northern Ireland
90%
91%
92%
Scotland
94%
94%
94%
Wales
94%
94%
95%
Source: Ofcom
What about fixed wireless access networks and wireless internet service providers?
Aside from gigabit, full fibre, and superfast, broadband services are also available from Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) networks provided via mobile networks, or through Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs).
Latest Ofcom data shows that FWA coverage from mobile networks is available to 94% of premises in the UK, and around 7% can receive a decent broadband service from a WISP.
A breakdown of access to fixed wireless (2021-2022)
