What is FTTP? 70% of the UK is now covered by full fibre broadband

UK broadband coverage is continuing to rapidly evolve, with 70% of the country now having access to the full fibre network. Full fibre Full fibre broadband is also known as fibre to the premises (FTTP) because data travels all the way from the internet to your home or office on lightning fast fibre optic cables.

The full fibre rollout is gathering pace. The number of postcodes equipped for FTTP has risen by around 10% since the end of last year. Openreach has predicted that 95-96% of all UK properties will have access to FTTP by May 2027, while the government wants 99% national coverage for gigabit-capable broadband by 2030. For example, achieving potential download speeds of at least 1000 Megabits per second - Mbps.

What are the benefits of FTTP?

FTTP broadband is a significant improvement over traditional broadband technology in terms of internet speeds and reliability.

Unlike FTTC broadband, where the connection still partially relies on copper cables, FTTP broadband delivers a direct fibre connection to your home or business. This provides faster broadband speeds, currently ranging between 100Mbps and 900Mbps, with the potential for even greater speeds in the future.

By contrast, Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) networks use copper cables for part of the journey, limiting speeds to around 80Mbps at best. ADSL broadband, which runs entirely on copper cables, can only achieve speeds of up to 24Mbps and is more prone to slowdowns and service disruptions.

As well as providing faster internet speeds, FTTP broadband is more reliable than FTTC broadband. Fibre optic cables are less susceptible to interference, and FTTP broadband is unaffected by distance from the internet exchange or network congestion.

Why is broadband speed important?

Broadband speed is crucial because of how we use the internet today. With more demand for streaming, gaming, remote working, and smart home devices, having reliable broadband is essential.

With the increasing use of AI, Virtual Reality (VR), and ultra-high-definition streaming, fibre to the premises broadband ensures homes and businesses can keep up with future technological developments.

In many households, multiple devices are streaming, gaming, or video conferencing simultaneously. This makes FTTP broadband the ideal solution, as FTTC broadband and copper-based broadband connections can struggle with high data demands.

To put FTTP broadband speeds into perspective, a music album can be downloaded in just a second, while a high-definition movie can take less than a minute.

Are there full fibre providers in my area?

While FTTP broadband is becoming more widespread, availability still depends on local infrastructure. FTTP isn’t routed through existing copper cable systems, meaning new fibre optic cables need to be installed to access it.

The FTTP network is expanding rapidly, so if full fibre isn’t there already it’s worth checking regularly to see if your area has been added to the list. To find out, just put your postcode into Zen’s full fibre full fibre broadband checker checker and we’ll let you know which broadband packages and speeds are available to you right now.

Will rural areas miss out on FTTP?

Rural and remote areas are often the last to receive FTTP broadband, alongside certain urban blackspots. This is because rolling out full fibre broadband in remote locations is less commercially viable for FTTP providers.

To address this, the UK government has launched Project Gigabit Gigabit, a £5 billion initiative aiming to provide fibre optic broadband to the last 10-20% of hard-to-reach areas. The goal is to ensure that businesses across the UK and rural communities gain access to ultra-fast internet by the end of the decade.

It’s important that this happens, because FTTP and gigabit-speed broadband is the future of connectivity in our highly digital world. Having access to the broadband speeds you need is increasingly important to every area of life. If you’re ready to switch to FTTP today, use our full fibre checker to see if next-generation broadband is available at your postcode already. If it isn’t, the good news is that it should be soon.  

Should You Upgrade to FTTP Broadband?

If you’re currently using FTTC broadband or fibre to the cabinet broadband and experiencing slowdowns, upgrading to FTTP broadband could be a great investment. FTTP broadband reliable connectivity offers:

• Higher speeds for uninterrupted streaming, gaming, and work
  
  
• More reliability than FTTC broadband, as it is not affected by distance from the cabinet
  
  
• Future-proof connectivity, ensuring your broadband connection keeps up with evolving technology

With FTTP broadband expanding rapidly across the UK, now is the perfect time to check broadband options and find the best broadband deals for your home or business.