Full Fibre UK Broadband Connections Overtake FTTC for First Time
The latest estimated Q3 2025 market statistics from telecoms analyst firm Point Topic have revealed that, for the first time, Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) based UK subscriber broadband ISP connections (11.56 million) have overtaken the previous generation of hybrid Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC/VDSL2) lines (10.6m).
In terms of the other broadband technologies. Some 5.1 million connections use Virgin Media’s cable / hybrid fibre coax (DOCSIS 3.1) network, which is followed by 1.43 million on pure copper line ADSL (ADSLMax, ADSL2+) technology and 406,000 on Fibre-to-the-Building (FTTB) – predominantly reflecting Hyperoptic’s base. After that, some 255k are connected via a G.fast cabinet (we think it may be even less) and 232k via satellite and fixed wireless networks.
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Independent (or alternative network) providers continued to focus on subscriber take-up and saw 193k net additions in Q3 (up from 190k in the previous quarter), with a total consumer broadband FTTB/P subscriber base reaching 3.02 million (up 29% year-on-year). CityFibre alone accounted for 108k additions in Q3 (total base of 730,000), thanks in part to Sky Broadband joining their network.
Year-on-Year Take-up Rates for Selected Altnets (Q3 2024 and Q3 2025)
By comparison, Openreach saw 551k full fibre net additions in Q3, which took their FTTP subscriber base – sold via hundreds of ISPs – to 7.65m (37.7% take-up). But as previously reported, they also lost 242k broadband lines (all technologies) in the quarter to rivals (up from 169k losses in Q2).
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The report goes on to summarise a lot of the details we’ve covered before in prior news reports and results announcements, which makes it useful as a general overview of the market.
Q3 2025 UK ISP and network supplier metrics
https://www.point-topic.com/../q3-2025-uk-isp-and-network-supplier-metrics-a-market-overview
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, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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Well since it is getting more difficult to FTTC or stay on FTTC, with higher prices, then FTTP is going to over take FTTC.
Like saying Windows 11 is overtaking Windows 10, yes, because you can’t buy computers with Windows 10 any more.
Same sort of thing
I would have stayed on FTTC, price and Plusnet trying to shove me to a 24-month contract got me to change. Now it is done, I am fine with it.
One day Linux will overtake Windows 11. I am Linux user and really hate Microsoft now.
1.43 million on ADSL, is this accurate?? Way more than I thought. They should just get Starlink.