Openreach’s FTTP Broadband Take-up in Wales Nears 50 Percent
Network access provider Openreach (BT) has today revealed that their Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP network has now passed an important milestone by covering 1.25 million premises (81%+) across Wales (up from 1m at the end of 2024), with take-up already said to be “approaching” the impressive 50% mark (across the UK it’s 38.27%).
All of this work supports Openreach’s wider investment of up to £15bn in deploying full fibre technology to cover 25 million UK premises by the end of December 2026 (currently on 23m). After that, there’s a further ambition to reach up to 30 million premises by 2030, but the build plan for the 2027-2030 period and final coverage target has yet to be confirmed.
Take note that the figure of 1.25m (81%+) above only reflects the coverage delivered by Openreach’s FTTP network, while the overall reach of full fibre in Wales is around 86%, which includes work by Virgin Media (inc. nexfibre), Ogi and Netomnia etc.
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Openreach’s service, once live, can be ordered via various ISPs, such as BT, Sky Broadband, TalkTalk, Vodafone and many more (Openreach FTTP ISP Choices) – it is not currently an automatic upgrade, although some ISPs are doing free automatic upgrades as older copper-based services and lines a withdrawn.
Martin Williams, Openreach’s Partnership Director for Wales, said:
“This is an important moment for Wales and a clear sign of the progress being made to improve digital connectivity across the country.
Across the UK we’re seeing more people choose Full Fibre as it becomes available, and it’s encouraging to see that momentum reflected in Wales too, with more households starting to experience the everyday benefits – whether that’s working from home, studying, running a business or staying connected.
But these upgrades don’t happen automatically. Many homes and businesses could already benefit from better broadband today, and I’d encourage people to check what’s available where they live and speak to their broadband provider about upgrading.”
Separately to this, the Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC) has today celebrated reaching a major digital milestone with 75% of the county now able to access gigabit-capable broadband, which is up from just over 5% coverage in 2019. The announcement notes that 43.7% of gigabit coverage in Pembrokeshire is being delivered by alternative network suppliers, including Ogi, Voneus and local provider Dragon WiFi, albeit with Openreach still playing the biggest role.
Cllr Paul Miller, Deputy Leader of PCC, said:
“Reaching over 75% gigabit capable coverage is a major milestone for Pembrokeshire and demonstrates what can be achieved through partnership working. In 2019, large parts of the county were being overlooked for investment and just 5% could get gigabit speeds. Since 2019, working with partners across the sector, approximately 50,000 homes and business in Pembrokeshire have been connected and while we recognise there’s more to do before we hit 100% the progress so far, particularly given the rural nature of our county, has been incredible.”
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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Haters gonna hate but that’s impressive stuff from the nation’s only truly national provider.
A national provider who has no plans for us. We live in a city and can only get FTTC.
We went from “we are building to you in June 2024” to “no plans”. Just great.
50% is probably the underlying rate for the whole network once you take out the effects of the rapid build rate. Be interesting to see how quick the take up rate goes up once the build slows down. Openreach have been building a local estate near over the last few months and it niw seems Quinns are on the estate virtually everyday doing new connections.
Since OR is the only provider to cover internal Wales! It isn’t that surprising.
Netomnia Virgin and Ogi are through the southern Valleys and Netomnia and Virgin in Wrexham. But everywhere else is like a dessert! Whether it’s lack of interest from any of the independents or budget constraint, I’m unsure but once OR have finished the Gov funded install it’s unlikely to have much competition.
“But everywhere else is like a dessert!”
What kind of dessert, a trifle, sponge cake or perhaps some apple pie and custard? 🙂
I’m aware of one case where it’s available, but OR want ££££s for civils to get the fibre a few hundred metres from the road to the premises. This in Wales and I am aware of another case in Uxbridge where OR want ££££s again for civils over a shorter distance. It’s mad.
It’s commercial reality.
Monopoly era BT might have paid up because they knew they’d get decades of revenue from it. Competition era Openreach is rightly going to prioritise the areas they can do cost effectively, or where customers are willing to pay upfront. Especially when a “competitor” can then use the physical infrastructure for pennies thanks to PIA.
Equally, Openreach’s rivals will cry foul under the Competition Act if Openreach starting connecting people below cost. The USO for broadband doesn’t work in the same way and is funded in the same way as the old telephone one.
It costs around 20-40 per meter. If we’re talking 300 meters then it can be a 6000 quid minimum. A single connection recovers less than 500 per year, not counting installation, equipment etc
London can be even more expensive because councils are very greedy with their road work permits