Coverage Progress
Northamptonshire has ambitious targets for digital connectivity in support of an entrepreneurial, competitive, and vibrant local economy, as well as improving quality of life for residents and the experience of visitors to the area. These broadband coverage targets can be viewed on our background and targets page. They support local aims to ensure that North and West Northamptonshire are one of the best-connected places in the UK. Connectivity here continues to outperform the average speed availability for England. Good progress is already being made but more needs to be done.
Northants Broadband Coverage progress
Superfast Northamptonshire delivery
Stage 1 and Stage 2 of Superfast Northamptonshire, which were delivered by Openreach, enabled around 73,000 homes and businesses to access superfast broadband – that’s 20% of all premises in the county. This public/private sector investment, along with other commercial interest, enabled superfast broadband coverage to reach 97% of premises in the county by the end of 2017. Superfast coverage is now over 99%.
In advance of government’s Project Gigabit programme, Stage 3 of Superfast Northamptonshire secured a ‘future proof’ full fibre solution for many rural areas in the county. Gigaclear Networks is expected to complete its network build to around 6,800 premises in 2024. This is alongside their substantial commercial programme which has already served over 50,000 rural premises in the area.
Progress on superfast, ultrafast, gigabit capable and full fibre targets
Full fibre coverage performance
Full fibre coverage in Northamptonshire stood at only 0.4% in 2012. However, we saw a tenfold increase in the five years from 1.7% in January 2016 to 17% in January 2021.
Full fibre coverage doubled in 2021 alone, reaching 35.5% of premises at the end of December 2021. This compared to the average for England of 29.1% of premises at that time. Our December 2023 target to achieve 40% full fibre coverage across
Northamptonshire was reached ahead of time in March 2021. The 80% countywide target should be exceeded in 2024.
Performance is particularly strong in West Northants (88.8% end 2023) largely due to widespread full fibre coverage by Openreach and CityFibre in Northampton as well as coverage in Daventry, Towcester and the larger villages such as Brixworth and Roade. Investment through Superfast Northamptonshire has also brought forward full fibre coverage in the rural areas with Gigaclear. Full fibre in North Northants stood at 67.5% at the end of 2023. We expect to see this coverage rise in the next couple of years as CityFibre complete their build in Kettering and Wellingborough and start delivering for Project Gigabit in parts of rural North Northants. VirginMedia are also upgrading their network to full fibre, Openreach are continuing their Fibre First programme and Gigaclear are continuing their commercial investment in the area whilst completing the build for Superfast Northamptonshire. Altnets such as Swish Fibre and Voneus are also delivering full fibre in some parts of the county.
Gigabit capable infrastructure performance
Local gigabit capable broadband coverage stood at only 0.4% in 2012. It continued to mirror full fibre levels in the five years to January 2021.
However, 2021 brought a massive leap in the availability of gigabit capable broadband, reaching 75% of Northamptonshire premises on average by the end of December 2021 – achieving our 2023 gigabit target two years early. This was largely due to Virgin Media upgrading the capability of its cable network in the summer of 2021. This compared to gigabit capable coverage of 66.5% for England at the end of December 2021.
By the end of 2023, gigabit cable networks had reached over 90% of premises across Northamptonshire.
Project Gigabit
The digital infrastructure programme has now moved on and is focused on delivering gigabit capable broadband infrastructure across the UK. Building Digital UK (BDUK) is managing regional and local procurements to extend gigabit coverage further in areas of market failure through Project Gigabit. This is also acting as a catalyst for major commercial investment by telecoms providers. Project Gigabit also involves the UK Gigabit Voucher Scheme, relaunched in April 2021, and refreshed again in December 2022, with an increase in voucher value. You can find out more in the Support section on the website.
Further information
To view progress on local superfast and full fibre coverage in the county and other areas visit the ThinkBroadband website, the UK’s largest independent broadband news and information site.
You can find out more about how superfast broadband plans are coming forward in the county by visiting our interactive Gigabit Coverage map.