UK broadband digital divide persists

Research from Point Topic has found that the quality of the entry-level broadband plans that consumers can access in different areas of the UK continues to be variable, with so-called “digital deprivation” still evident.

The analyst’s UK broadband affordability tracker was based on residential fixed broadband tariffs marketed by retail internet service providers. The aim was to identify the lowest available broadband subscription that consumers can access in every postcode irrespective of broadband technology.

The analysis showed average entry-level tariffs in all lower layer super output areas in England and Wales, data zones in Scotland and super data zones in Northern Ireland, collectively known in the study as “small areas”.

Among the topline findings was that the broadband digital divide still exists, especially in “less attractive” areas where competition is lacking and consumers have to pay more for “decent” broadband, if it’s available at all. As of November 2024, Point Topic found that the lowest available broadband subscription at the postcode level varied from £12.50 to £37.50, while at the “small area” level, entry-level broadband subscriptions varied from £12.50 to £29.99 a month.

The £12.50 tariff was advertised by Community Fibre as Essential, and came with 35Mbps symmetrical speeds on a 12-month contract. It was available in 50,589 postcodes, mainly in London. At the other end of the spectrum, the cheapest broadband available in two postcodes was £37.50 from Connexin. Its FTTP package included 250Mbps symmetrical speeds on a 24-month contract.

The largest shift seen in this year’s study compared with the previous year was that cheaper broadband tariffs becoming available in many more “small areas”. The cheapest broadband subscription was in the £20-£24.99 range in 66.3% of “small areas”, compared with 31.6% of areas a year ago.

In the September 2023 analysis, the most prevalent broadband technology was fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC), while in the current study fibre-to-the-premises is dominating as the entry-level platform, available in 40% of all UK postcodes. It was also found to be the second-cheapest on average.

Depending on where they live, the cheapest broadband available to households in some areas is an FTTP-based service with 35/35Mps speeds for £12.50 a month, or an ADSL connection with 3/1Mbps speeds for £29.99 a month.

However, compared with September 2023, the study revealed what it said was a “noticeable” shift towards cheaper broadband subscriptions and higher bandwidth available in many more areas of the UK. On a yearly basis, the percentage of “small areas” in the 100-199Mbps bandwidth range more than doubled.

While recognising pricing may have been affected by the Black Friday offers advertised in November 2024, it stressed that the much broader availability of FTTP has led to the boost in entry-level speeds offered to consumers.

Yet despite increased uptake in FTTP, the study also warned that inflation continues to affect the cost of living in the UK, making consumers think twice about their spending priorities. With 24% of the UK households struggling to afford their communication services in July 2024, broadband was seen as becoming an unaffordable “luxury” in some homes.