Press release: North East now boasts highest broadband coverage in the UK

New figures out today (29 January 2018) show the Northern Powerhouse is one of the most connected regions in the UK thanks to the government’s £1.7 billion broadband roll out programme.

97.2% of the North East is enjoying unprecedented access to superfast broadband – the highest coverage in the country. The North West follows only shortly behind with 96% of the region having access to superfast broadband.

More households and businesses across the North are now accessing superfast broadband speeds of 24 Mbps – more than double the 10 Mbps required by a typical family home.

Today’s figures published by Think Broadband show that the government is succeeding in improving connectivity in the Northern Powerhouse with businesses across the region benefitting from improved digital infrastructure and faster broadband; last year’s Autumn budget announced up to £1.8 billion of further government funding for the North to improve transport, digital connectivity, and economic regeneration.

Northern Powerhouse Minister, Jake Berry, said:

The Northern Powerhouse is leading the charge in bridging the rural-urban digital divide. Strong digital infrastructure, including access to superfast broadband, is vital for a flourishing local economy by helping to spur growth and create thousands of new jobs.

We’re doing all we can to bring broadband access to even the most remote and rural areas in the country and are giving businesses the tools they need to meet the demands of the digital age.

DCMS Secretary of State, Matt Hancock said:

Over the last 5 years, the government’s rollout of superfast broadband has made superfast speeds a reality for more than 4.5 million homes and businesses who would otherwise have missed out. But there’s still more to do in our work building a Britain that’s fit for the future.

We’re reaching thousands more premises every single week, and have committed to making affordable, reliable, high speed broadband a legal right to everyone by 2020.

The government’s £1.7 billion rollout of superfast broadband to areas deemed “not commercially viable” by industry has so far reached more than 4.5 million UK premises that would otherwise have been left in the connectivity slow lane, the majority of which are in rural areas.

With 19 out of 20 UK homes and businesses now enjoying superfast broadband access, the government has also delivered on its manifesto pledge to bring superfast broadband to 95% of UK premises.

In addition to the huge benefits to day-to-day life that superfast speeds offer, this closing of the “digital divide” has also delivered a significant boost to local economies – creating around 50,000 new local jobs and generating an additional £8.9 billion in turnover in the areas covered by the government rollout between 2013 and 2016.