H2 2021 – FTTP Broadband Covers 96% of New Build UK Homes
The latest H2 2021 study into the broadband coverage of new build UK homes has found that over 96% of houses constructed during the second half of last year were connected to a “full fibre” (FTTP) ISP network (up from 93% in H1 2021), which rises to 99%+ for 30Mbps+ “superfast broadband” services.
The data, which stems from Thinkbroadband‘s latest independent model (examination of new build postcodes), shows a clear improvement in the reach of Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) technology, but we’d always recommend that those purchasing a new build home get the property developer to confirm, in writing, what kind of service you can expect to receive before handing over any money. On top of that, it’s worth trying to identify the fibre supplier for such sites and asking them directly.
Most large home builders (e.g. Home Builders Federation) have already entered into partnerships with operators (e.g. Openreach, Virgin Media, Hyperoptic and various altnet ISPs) to better facilitate the roll-out of full fibre broadband. Openreach have also made it even cheaper to deploy their FTTP network into some of the smallest developments (here). On top of that, new rules are coming to make all of this a requirement (here).
Despite this, some property developers still say that deploying full fibre services can, in some areas, be prohibitively expensive (e.g. remote rural locations), although this hasn’t always stopped many of those same companies from raking in big annual profits. Nevertheless, more and more new homes are arriving with full fibre availability as standard, and the impact of this is pretty clear.
New Build Broadband Cover by Speed and Technology (H2 2021 Data)
| New Premises | % Superfast 30Mbps+ | % Ultrafast 100Mbps+ | % Full Fibre (FTTP) | % Under 10Mbps USO |
| UK 2022 (26,734) | 99.6% | 99.6% | 96.5% | 0.3% |
| UK 2021 (168,846) | 99.2% | 97.1% | 96.4% | 0.3% |
| UK 2020 (177,980) | 98.7% | 92.7% | 91.7% | 0.5% |
| UK 2019 (222,475) | 98.3% | 90.9% | 89.2% | 0.7% |
| UK 2018 (228,978) | 97.4% | 84.3% | 81.2% | 0.6% |
NOTE 1: The ultrafast figure above largely reflects coverage by FTTP, HFC DOCSIS (Cable) and some G.fast networks; mostly delivered via Openreach (BT) and Virgin Media. Meanwhile Hyperoptic, CommunityFibre, OFNL (GTC / BUUK), FibreNest and a few other altnets will also have an impact.
NOTE 2: Some small / individual developments (e.g. personal single house projects) or property conversions may be missed by this data.
NOTE 3: The historic figures may change by the next update as related data is frequently being revised / updated.
NOTE 4: The availability of postcode data tends to lag deployments, which is why we only get a partial view of the current year in this update. As such this data is better for looking back at prior years.
NOTE 5: Since November 2021, any new build sites constructed with fibre ducts from GTC (OFNL / BUUK) will also be able to carry Virgin Media’s (VMO2) broadband, TV and phone services via a separate fibre (here).
The full fibre gap has clearly shrunk considerably over the past few years. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 crisis, as well as the impact of Brexit on trade, haulage and supplies, may have had some impact upon the number of new homes being built.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook and Linkedin.
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My new build flat only had openreach because the developer didn’t want any hassle and that people wouldn’t care about alternatives. Meanwhile Community Fibre is connecting homes just down the road and I’m stuck with a more expensive 2 year bonkers contract !
Tried contacting them to see if they will consider FTTB/P rollout if there is enough interest?
interesting but developer was probably happy to take the SOD payment though – small developement i assume how many premises and where in uk
At least you have it. Notting Hill Genesis have blocked all retrofit FTTP installations until they can form a committee to decide their implementation requirements. My flat is but 14 years old and stuck with VDSL solely because NHG are wholly useless at doing anything.
This isn’t necessarily a good thing. I can see a couple of new build Persimmon estates within a 20 mile radius of us, and they have FTTP providers that are delivering less value than the altnets, Openreach FTTP or even Virgin Media that the estates are surrounded by.
I was pleasantly surprised to see the options at a new David Wilson Homes site a few miles away, on the outside of each house it goes Hyperoptic CSP, Openreach CSP & VMO2 RFoG box. So they’ve got it right with a good selection. OK it does look a little cluttered.
Now if they’d just remembered why the paper mill closed at the site they are building their nice riverside homes on…
so if you buy a new build with one of these fibre providers, does it mean you are stuck with that provider and fibre, or could you go to FTTC? Surly, even with new builds, there would still have to be some other way to get broadband?
i doubt it will ever worry me, the chance of me buying a house, never mind a new build, is zero. But I also heard of some housing associations doing the same thing.
Why on God’s earth would you want copper instead of full fibre? What next…preferring to travel by donkey instead of a car/bus/train?
No copper available and never will be.
@Skinny Pete, if it is open reach it is not too bad as people will have a bit of a choice which provider they use, but still a smaller choice than they would have on FTTC, but with an altnet, most of the time they would not have that choice. So if the house builder done a deal with Virgin, then the person who buy that house is stuck with Virgin, and they are not cheap or the best by a long way.
So if fibre is going to be put into new builds, people need to have a choice on providers.
@An Engineer, It is not so much thaving copper, but having the choice of whom to provide your broadband, openreach FTTP is still limited on provider, but it is improving,.
You asked about FTTC. No FTTC will be available as no copper will ever be run.
Openreach FTTP is unlikely for the foreseeable in such areas. I’m not aware of any instances where Openreach have retrofit an entire estate from scratch but may well be wrong.
I’ve seen it done in some areas, Openreach have a team that look at FTTP for newish builds where it might have been copper or just one other provider.
Cheswick Place in Solihull is an example. Bloor did a deal with VM so no Openreach. Residents complained so OR added, copper initially for some and fibre on later houses. They’ve gone back now and all are fibre.
@An Engineer, true I did say FTTC, but my main reason was the lack of choice these people have, they may not want to use Virgin or what ever other provider they may be forced to use. I don’t know who pays who to have the fibre laid, no doubt the network provider pays the house builder, but it needs to be stopped.
If fibre is put into any new build, then it needs to be a network that gives people choice. I thought there was a law against thissort of thing, anti-competition law?
No law against it at all. Having a choice of fixed line broadband service or even a fixed line service at all isn’t a legal right.
Access to a phone line isn’t either – if the cost comes in above the USO level you either pay the difference or go without, you can’t demand one be installed whatever the cost.
So the new hpmes about to be built near me will be Virgin Media then – given its the only option for anything approacing FTTP around here (and will remain so) ,,,
Nope doesn’t mean a thing. Could be Openreach, OFNL, Hyperoptic, Virgin Media O2, etc. As long as the new estate is large enough to be worth their while it could have a few options.
New build here (Persimmon 2020) and they only covered half the estate with fttp, the other half got copper only.
Not only that, but all the street cabs are on the other half too – they have VMo2, FTTC with street cabs close by AND the choice of FTTP.
Where as this side is stuck with VDSL that can only muster a paltry 25mbps.
Thanks Persimmon.
So why did you go ahead with the purchase? Perhaps you got a sweet discount because of this?