Openreach has announced that 20 million homes and businesses can now access the UK’s most reliable broadband technology, thanks to its nationwide infrastructure upgrade. From Fair Isle in Scotland’s far north to the far reaches of Cornwall in England’s South West, Openreach’s engineers have now laid full fibre cables in cities, towns and villages throughout the UK.

But, Openreach notes, millions of households still haven’t made the switch…

Despite the network being ready and available to 20 million premises, via a host of service providers, only around 38 per cent of households that can order full fibre from Openreach have made the switch. That means many are unnecessarily still stuck on slower, less reliable copper connections.

Clive Selley, Openreach’s Chief Executive, commented: “In 2025, being online isn’t a luxury – it’s a lifeline. From booking GP appointments to applying for jobs, accessing education and launching businesses, digital connectivity is the gateway to opportunity. Full fibre makes that gateway faster and far more reliable, and it will keep up with the demands of our digital world. But upgrades don’t often happen automatically, so people need to contact their broadband provider to make the switch.“

The job’s not done

Selley also expressed concern about the communities yet to gain access to full fibre, saying: “Reaching 20 million premises is a UK infrastructure success story, and it’s a credit to the investment, hard work and ambition of everyone at Openreach. But the job’s not done yet. And the next premises are some of the very hardest to connect. To finish the job, we need the right support as an industry, including targeted help for some rural areas, faster planning approvals, better access to multi-dwelling buildings, and a regulatory and policy environment that gives investors’ confidence and allows competition to thrive.”

Openreach’s project is believed to be the largest and fastest broadband infrastructure build in Europe, with engineers now reaching more than a million new homes every three months. This includes around 33,000 medical facilities and more than 25,000 colleges, schools and universities, helping to transform access to critical services.

Full fibre is already becoming the backbone of Britain’s digital economy, supporting everything from smart farming and sustainable transport to remote working and virtual healthcare.

Ultimately, Openreach plans to make the technology available to as many as 30 million premises in all corners of the UK by 2030.

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Categories: Articles, Broadband, FTTH, Research

Tags: fibre, Openreach, UK