WIREDGOV

Ofcom has yesterday launched the UK’s first interactive map of fixed broadband, using actual data provided by communications providers about the UK’s broadband infrastructure.

Ofcom is required to submit a report on the UK’s communications infrastructure to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport every three years. As the first stage of meeting our infrastructure duty, Ofcom is publishing the online map, which allows users to zoom in and out of administrative authorities of the UK and provides a range of data to offer a picture of broadband provision in each area.

The map, available at http://maps.ofcom.org.uk/broadband/, was compiled using data provided by communications providers and covers 200 administrative authorities. Specifically it covers:

• availability of superfast broadband* (the percentage of addresses which are within the coverage area of superfast broadband networks);
• average broadband take-up (excluding superfast broadband connections);
• average actual speeds for ADSL** and cable services (excluding superfast broadband) averaged across each area; and
• the percentage of homes with broadband currently not receiving 2Mbit/s speeds.

Each area has been ranked according to a score given for each of the above measures and colour coded with green ranking highest, and red lowest. The four metrics have also been combined to produce an overall view of broadband in different parts of the UK.

UK fixed-line broadband information

Across the UK as a whole, 68 per cent of UK premises have a fixed broadband connection, and the average maximum speed is 7.5Mbit/s (excluding superfast broadband connections).

The City of Brighton & Hove has the highest take-up of fixed broadband services with 80 per cent.

The City of Edinburgh has the fastest average maximum speeds, with 10.1Mbit/s with the City of Bristol just behind with 9.9Mbit/s.

The City of Edinburgh and City of Bristol also have the lowest percentage of people receiving less than 2Mbit/s (4.5 per cent).
Some 58 per cent of addresses are in areas served by a superfast broadband enabled telephone exchange ***or cable network.

Luton, in England, and Newtownabbey in Northern Ireland have the highest percentage of addresses served by a superfast broadband enabled exchange (100 per cent)***.

Superfast broadband availability across Northern Ireland is very high, with 97 per cent of addresses served by a superfast broadband enabled exchange (although superfast services will not necessarily be available to all addresses). This follows the completion of major investment in superfast broadband by the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland, in conjunction with BT. BT has announced plans to bring superfast broadband to 88 per cent of lines in the country by March 2012.

Fourteen per cent of customers who have fixed broadband connections (excluding superfast broadband connections) are currently receiving speeds of less than 2Mbit/s. Some of these customers could improve their speeds by making changes to their in-home telephone wiring and around 6 per cent have the option to switch to a higher speed cable and fibre based broadband service.

More rural areas tend to have lower speeds and a greater proportion of customers who receive speeds less than 2Mbit/s. This is primarily because copper telephone lines tend to be longer in these areas and broadband speeds delivered over these lines reduce with increasing line length.

In addition, the low housing density also makes it more expensive to build new superfast cable and fibre-based networks in these areas.

Assessing the UK’s infrastructure

Ofcom’s first infrastructure report will be submitted to the Secretary of State later this year and Ofcom intends to build on this map and provide additional information.

Ofcom is publishing this map now following a request from Government to provide information on broadband availability, take-up and speeds in the UK.

This data will be useful to local authorities in developing their broadband plans and should help to speed up the delivery of improved broadband infrastructure to UK citizens and consumers.
Ofcom expects to update the maps with new data on an annual basis.

The full report including methodology can be found here.

Ofcom Chief Executive, Ed Richards, said: “We are now developing a clear picture of the UK’s fixed broadband infrastructure and how it delivers for consumers. We hope that this information will stimulate further rollout of broadband infrastructure and better performance for households and businesses.”
ENDS
NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. * Superfast broadband services are generally considered to be those that run at over 24Mbit/s.

2. **ADSL services are delivered over copper telephone lines. The original ADSL technology could support download speeds of up to 8Mbit/s. A later generation of the technology supports speeds up to 24Mbit/s.

3. *** Typically 80-90 per cent of lines attached to a superfast broadband enabled telephone exchange are currently able to subscribe to a superfast broadband service.

4. The Government has put in place a £530m fund to help local authorities improve broadband in underserved areas. The Government will shortly announce how much funding has been allocated for broadband in each area.

5. Advice for consumers on broadband speeds can be found at: http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/2010/07/broadband-speeds-2/.

6. Under section 134A of the Communications Act 2003, Ofcom has a duty to prepare reports for the relevant