Background to our Planned Network Deployment (PND) report
Our latest forward-looking report on planned network deployments examines the increase in full-fibre and gigabit-capable network coverage anticipated by the end of 2028. It also covers the plans of operators of fixed wireless access networks to extend or upgrade their networks so as to provide very high-speed broadband services.
The report is based on the stated deployment plans of network operators as of January 2026 over the next three years. The plans include those that are privately funded as well as any plans that are supported through public funds or intervention. However, the report only focuses on network operators’ planned deployments and does not take separate account of any aspirations or plans by public authorities, whether national or local, to roll out networks in their geographical areas.
Ofcom’s PND report is prepared and published to supplement our infrastructure reports (known as our Connected Nations reports). The basis and purpose of this report are set out below and provide important context to the information we publish.
Purpose of this forward-looking report
One of the electronic communications networks matters that Ofcom is required to address in our infrastructure reports prepared under section 134A of the Communications Act 2003 (‘the 2003 Act’) is future build proposals of network operators.
Specifically, this means that Ofcom needs to report on the proposals that operators of electronic communications networks in the UK may at any time have within the next 3 years to bring into operation a new very high capacity network (VHCN) [1], other than a mobile network, or to extend or upgrade any part of a fixed line network or its equivalent, such as a fixed wireless access network, so as to provide a download speed of at least 100 megabits per second (Mbit/s) [2].
These plans are commercially sensitive, limiting the amount of information we publish
By their very nature, these future build proposals are confidential and extremely commercially sensitive. Consistent with our previous PND reports, our published report includes only our UK-level findings, together with aggregated and anonymised information on planned deployment for each of the UK nations and local authorities.
However, pursuant to section 134AC(1) of the 2003 Act, the Secretary of State must have regard to our infrastructure reports for three purposes, namely the allocation of public funds for the bringing into operation of electronic communications networks; the design of national broadband plans; and verifying the availability of services to which universal service conditions apply.
For this reason, we have also sent to the Secretary of State additional data with specific operator and property coverage data. This data will not be published.
Plans are subject to change
The data presented represents operators’ own forecast of coverage which depend on the builds currently in progress. Operators’ deployment plans, no matter how far advanced and committed, can be subject to change [3]. The figures set out in this PND Report cannot be considered comprehensive or definitive.
Our PND Reports can be found in the links below
Footnotes
1. Section 4(12A) of the 2003 Act defines a VHCN as an electronic communications network which: (a) consists wholly of optical fibre elements at least up to the distribution point at the serving location; or (b) is capable of delivering, under usual peak-time conditions, network performance that, in Ofcom’s opinion, is similar, in terms of available downlink and uplink bandwidth, resilience, error-related parameters and latency and its variation, to the network performance of a network falling within paragraph (a). Section 4(12B) of the 2003 Act clarifies that network performance can be considered similar regardless of whether the end-user experience varies due to the inherently different characteristics of the medium by which the network ultimately connects with the network termination point.
2. Section 134B(1)(j) of the 2003 Act.
3. We are also not intending to update our broadband coverage checker to include future build information. Not only would this information be confidential and extremely commercially sensitive for the same reasons, but it could also provide an unreasonable expectation for an individual householder. We anticipate that individual properties are likely to be informed by broadband providers when VHCNs are, or are expected to be, made available at a specific location as part of sales and marketing initiatives. If so, and when retail providers have informed us that the properties are covered or “Ready for Service”, we intend to update our broadband coverage checker with the relevant information.