The full fibre postcode lottery
We name a council area, you slide to guess what share of its homes could order full fibre in January 2026. Eight rounds, a new mix of places every time, all from Ofcom's own data.
Full fibre availability varies hugely by place. In January 2026 it ranged from almost every home in Hull to about 11% in the Western Isles, and take-up ran from 78% in Hull to 19% in Kensington and Chelsea.
What you will learn
- 1How full fibre coverage varies across the UK
- 2Which places lead and which are still waiting
- 3The gap between availability and take-up
Why it matters
Full fibre has spread fast, from about 4% of homes in 2018 to 82% in January 2026, but not evenly. Some cities are almost fully covered, while islands and highland areas are still waiting. Even where it has arrived, take-up varies more than you might expect.
Every number in this game comes from Ofcom's own council area data for January 2026, the same data behind the regional explorer in UK Broadband in Numbers. Once you have played, you can look up your own area there.
The full fibre league table
The places with the most and least full fibre in January 2026, from Ofcom's council area data for residential premises.
| Council area | Region or nation | Can order full fibre |
|---|---|---|
| Kingston upon Hull | Yorkshire and the Humber | 100% |
| Antrim and Newtownabbey | Northern Ireland | 98% |
| Cannock Chase | West Midlands | 98% |
| Southend-on-Sea | East of England | 98% |
| Bracknell Forest | South East | 97% |
| Ards and North Down | Northern Ireland | 97% |
| Coventry | West Midlands | 97% |
| Lisburn and Castlereagh | Northern Ireland | 97% |
| Milton Keynes | South East | 97% |
| Mid and East Antrim | Northern Ireland | 97% |
| Council area | Region or nation | Can order full fibre |
|---|---|---|
| Na h-Eileanan Siar | Scotland | 11% |
| Shetland Islands | Scotland | 21% |
| Argyll and Bute | Scotland | 24% |
| Orkney Islands | Scotland | 31% |
| Perth and Kinross | Scotland | 38% |
| Harlow | East of England | 43% |
| Aberdeenshire | Scotland | 49% |
| Redditch | West Midlands | 50% |
| Isles of Scilly | South West | 51% |
| West Dunbartonshire | Scotland | 56% |
| Council area | Region or nation | Take-up |
|---|---|---|
| Kingston upon Hull | Yorkshire and the Humber | 78% |
| Ards and North Down | Northern Ireland | 75% |
| Mid and East Antrim | Northern Ireland | 74% |
| Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon | Northern Ireland | 73% |
| Milton Keynes | South East | 72% |
| Council area | Region or nation | Take-up |
|---|---|---|
| Kensington and Chelsea | London | 19% |
| Isles of Scilly | South West | 20% |
| Blackpool | North West | 22% |
| Oxford | South East | 22% |
| West Dunbartonshire | Scotland | 23% |
Availability is the share of residential premises that could order full fibre. Take-up is live full fibre connections as a share of premises that can get it. Source: Ofcom, Connected Nations update, Spring 2026, via UK Broadband in Numbers.
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Questions people ask
- Where in the UK has the most full fibre?
- In January 2026, Hull had almost complete full fibre availability and the highest take-up in the UK at 78%. Northern Ireland leads the nations.
- Where can I check full fibre for my own area?
- Use the regional explorer in UK Broadband in Numbers for your council area, or the availability checker for your own address.
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How we checked this quiz
Every answer was checked on 9 November 2026 against the source listed with it, mostly Ofcom and the companies that publish the figures, and dated figures say when they apply. Questions that depend on a date, such as compensation amounts that rise each April, are hidden automatically once they pass their review date, so the quiz never shows an out-of-date answer. Your scores, badges and streaks are kept on this device only. Anonymous answer counts help us show how other players did, with no names or personal details.
References
- Martin-Smith, A. J. (2026, November 7). UK broadband in numbers (Edition 2, November 2026). BroadbandSwitch.uk Data Lab. https://broadbandswitch.uk/reports/uk-broadband-statistics/
- Ofcom. (2026, May 13). Connected Nations update: Spring 2026. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/coverage-and-speeds/connected-nations-update-spring-2026
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