UK broadband availability in Q4 2025: Gigabit coverage edges towards 90%

This is our regular update on fixed broadband availability in the UK, tracking the progress to the end of Q4 2025.

The analysis is based on our broadband availability dataset which covers all 1.7m UK postcodes. More granular, postcode level broadband availability updates by operator and technology (quarterly and monthly), are available to our UK Broadband Mapping customers. Also, for a limited time, we made our comprehensive Local Authority level data and Ward level maps available for free here.

Note: There will generally be a lag to the operator announcements for premises passed at the time since it takes us time to properly track and audit any new deployments, unless the operators tell us about them. Also, we report RFS (ready for service) premises, while some operators and ISPs include premises where customers can pre-order a broadband service.

Key headlines

• At the end of Q4 2025, FTTP coverage was 81.3% of the UK premises, compared to 79.5% at the end of Q3 2025. Gigabit coverage was 88.4%.

• 12.5 million premises had access to two or more FTTP networks (up by 8.2% since the previous quarter). Just over 2.1 million premises were covered by 3+ fibre networks.

• Openreach FTTP footprint stood at 20.8 million premises, covering 62% of all UK premises.

• Legacy networks operated by Openreach still covered 12.2 million premises, but this figure is now lower by 8.6 million compared to their FTTP premises.

• In Q4 2025, Croydon, North Lanarkshire, South Tyneside and South Gloucestershire added most FTTP premises (more than 10K each).

• Nationwide 2.5 million premises could choose between two or more fibre altnets, compared to 2.3 million in Q3 2025, but market consolidation is underway.

Openreach and FTTP broadband availability

In Q4 2025, we recorded 1.111m additions to the full fibre premises passed by Openreach, compared to 1.037m additions in Q3 2025. So, full fibre rollout slightly accelerated further, although it appears to have slowed down since. Our total recorded Openreach FTTP footprint stood at 20.8 million premises, up 5.6% quarter-on-quarter (Table 1). If they maintain the pace of just over a million of premises a quarter, they should be able to reach their goal of 25 million fibre premises by the end of 2026. Openreach full fibre now covers 62% of all UK premises, up from 58.7% in Q3 2025.

The number of Openreach ADSL, FTTC only and Gfast only premises went down by 1.106m, with this number almost matching FTTP additions. These legacy networks still covered 12.2 million premises in the UK but this number decreased by 8.3% quarter on quarter, and it is now by 8.6 million lower than that of the FTTP premises.

Table 1. Openreach footprint by technology, Q4 2025. Source: Point-Topic.

Northern Ireland LAs are prominent among the top 20 local authorities covered by Openreach’s fibre - Belfast leads at 97%, and the top 5 LAs include four NI councils (Figure 1). Wirral (94%) is the highest performing English LA, while Flintshire is the best covered in Wales (92%). Overall, Openreach maintains strong position on the UK periphery and in Northern regions, not least due to government intervention schemes.

Figure 1. Top 20 LAs by the proportion of total premises passed by Openreach FTTP, Q4 2025. Source: Point Topic.

In Q4 2025, the overall FTTP coverage, including Openreach FTTP network, altnets, Virgin Media O2’s fibre network and KCOM was 27.3 million premises (81.3% of the UK total, compared to 79.5% at the end of Q3 2025). The number of FTTP premises went up 2.2% q-o-q, with the growth slightly slowing down further as full fibre is now available to more than 4 out of 5 UK premises. Gigabit coverage (including Docsis3.1) was 88.4%.

Fibre network overbuild has increased further. At the end of Q4 2025, 12.5 million premises had access to 2 or more FTTP networks (up by 8.2% since Q3 2025). Just over 2.1 million premises were covered by 3+ fibre networks, with this number having increased by 13.5%.

Table 2.Comparison of FTTP network overbuild (all networks). Source: Point Topic.

The continuing FTTP deployment by multiple operators had an impact on our ‘list of shame’ which shows the bottom ten LAs by FTTP coverage (Figure 2). Four councils in this category saw 10%+ quarterly growth, with Harlow once again showing the most significant change (49.6% up quarter-on-quarter).

Redditch is at the top of the list with 48.9% of its premises having access to FTTP. Winchester and Warwick have left the bottom ten, with Redditch and Aberdeenshire taking their place. Harlow (38.7%) and City of London (39.4%) stand out as the only Southeast LAs still in the bottom 10, with the list dominated by the Scottish councils.

Figure 2. Bottom local authorities by percentage of premises covered with FTTP (any network), Q4 2025. Source: Point Topic.

In Q4 2025, Croydon, North Lanarkshire, South Tyneside and South Gloucestershire added most FTTP premises (more than 10K each). In Sunderland and Cumberland, 81% of all premises already have access to FTTP (Figure 3). In this category, Warwick and Enfield have the longest way to go, with only 54% and 55% of their premises respectively covered by FTTP.

Figure 3. Top ten LAs by FTTP premises added in Q4 2025. Source: Point Topic.

The overall picture of FTTP premises added across the UK can be seen on the following map.

Figure 4. FTTP premises added at Local Authority level, Q4 2025. Source: Point Topic.

Nationwide, several local authorities experienced notable % growth in FTTP premises (Figure 5), with standout increases including Warwick (25.9%), North Warwickshire (20.7%), and the Isle of Anglesey (14.3%).

Figure 5. Percentage growth in the number of FTTP premises per Local Authority, Q4 2025. Source: Point Topic.

Fibre Altnets: The M&A market is heating up

Among the altnets exceeding 100K fibre premises passed, CityFibre remained at the top of the league with 4.2m FTTP premises (Ready for Service premises) (Figure 6). Netomnia (including brsk), nexfibre, and Community Fibre had the next largest footprints with 2.9m, 2.1m and 1.4m premises respectively[1]. (Note: our chart still displays Netomnia and brsk figures separately). Netomnia has attracted interest from Nexfibre, and if the deal goes ahead, Nexfibre will more than double their footprint.

[1] See our earlier note about possible lags to the operator announcements of premises passed.

Figure 6. FTTP premises passed by altnets, Q4 2025 (more than 100K premises). Source:  Point Topic.

Overbuild by FTTP altnets has increased slightly, though most operators are focusing on increasing broadband take-up rates or are more selective in where they roll out their infrastructure. In Q4 2025, 2.5m premises could choose between two or more fibre altnets, compared to 2.3m in Q3 2025. Just over 227K premises were served by 3 or more alternative fibre networks, up from 203K three months earlier (Table 3).

We are expecting overbuild to slow down further as market consolidation continues. In addition to Netomnia and Nexfibre news, Truespeed and Freedom Fibre announced their merger, while Gigaclear might also be up for sale. 

Table 3. Altnet overbuild evolution. Source: Point Topic.

The complete dataset used to produce this analysis is part of our UK Broadband Mapping at postcode level. You can also access our comprehensive data at Local Authority level, including broadband maps at ward level that highlight where the broadband infrastructure is in place, and where it’s still catching up. We made it freely accessible for a limited time here.

If you have any questions, you can contact us on 020 3301 3303 or by e-mail oliver.johnson@point- topic.com