Openreach’s November 2018 update has revealed that a further 81 new locations will benefit from the roll out of 330Mbps capable hybrid fibre G.fast internet connectivity. Termed “ultrafast broadband”, the connection is expected to reach 5.7 million homes and businesses across the UK by March 2021 – the end of the financial year.

There have been a number of significant broadband developments within the Openreach network, covering Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP), G-fast, SOGEA, 21CN migrations and other new installation options.

Thanks to the Digital Scotland broadband rollout, valued at £428 million, thousands of more homes and businesses across West Lothian can now upgrade to superfast internet connectivity. The rollout will ensure that more than 900,000 premises in the region, including areas in Whitburn, will have access to speeds averaging 24Mbps or more through fibre optic lines.

A study by Censuswide has revealed that two-thirds of Scotland's business chiefs first check broadband capability before even viewing commercial premises for rent. In fact, the research found more than nine in ten decision-makers for legal, finance and IT firms would not enter into a lease without checking connectivity first.

The government has estimated that the Broadband Delivery UK project, with an investment of more than £1.6 billion, extended its Superfast Broadband to over 95% of UK premises and has delivered a £9 billion surge in turnover for businesses.

Theresa May announced, on her recent visit to Edinburgh, that the government would invest £1.2 billion in the south-east of Scotland – a significant proportion of which would go towards “data-driven innovation [through] exceptional research and development activities”, as claimed by City of Edinburgh Council leader, Adam McVey.

An additional £11.15 million of funding was recently secured from the Government’s £75 million Rural Broadband Infrastructure Scheme (RBIS) for the Superfast North Yorkshire (SFNY) project. The funding is expected to boost current superfast broadband coverage of 24Mbps+ from 95 per cent to 97 per cent.

Figures from independent broadband guide Think Broadband show that Brighton and Hove have one of the highest rates of superfast broadband coverage in the UK, with the speed well above the Government target of 95 per cent and access has been provided to more than 99 per cent of homes and businesses. The Government defines superfast broadband as a speed of more than 24Mbps.

With speeds of 100 times greater than existing broadband, Cambridgeshire looks like it may be one of the first areas in the UK to trial 5G services.

Research conducted by property consultancy Cluttons has suggested that London lags behind other UK and global cities in terms of good broadband connectivity to houses and businesses alike.