Openreach, the UK’s largest communications provider, has reached a significant full-fiber milestone by making high-speed broadband available to 20 million homes. However, the company notes that actual switchovers to the new network remain slower than anticipated.
Openreach UK broadband upgrade reaches 20 million homes
Key Takeaways:
- Openreach has brought full-fiber access to 20 million UK households
- The provider is recognized as the UK’s largest comms company
- Concerns persist about users delaying network switchovers
- The original coverage was published on September 25, 2025
- Joe O’Halloran is credited with authoring the story
Overview of the 20 Million Milestone
Openreach is celebrating a notable milestone: extending full-fiber broadband access to 20 million homes across the United Kingdom. As the nation’s largest communications provider, achieving such widespread coverage represents a major upgrade to the country’s telecom infrastructure.
The Significance of Full-Fiber Access
Full-fiber networks are widely viewed as the next generation of reliable, high-speed internet. This upgrade marks a significant leap from older copper-based networks, offering higher bandwidth capacity, faster speeds, and better service reliability. For millions of residents, the promise of more stable connections could transform their daily internet use.
Lag in Active Network Switchovers
Despite the progress, Openreach points out an ongoing challenge: actual switchovers to the new full-fiber network are not keeping pace with the rollout. While 20 million homes have the capability to connect, the number of customers actively making the transition is lower than anticipated. Openreach remains focused on raising awareness and encouraging more households to adopt the newer infrastructure.
Broader Context
Details of this milestone were originally reported by Computerweekly News on September 25, 2025. Joe O’Halloran provided further insights into how the pace of adoption may shape the future of broadband services in the UK. As more consumers learn about the benefits of full-fiber connectivity, the overall impact on both everyday communication and national infrastructure could be substantial.