UK government launches gigabit address checker

People across England and Wales can find out if they are due a government-backed broadband upgrade with new gigabit address checker.

People in need of faster broadband can now find out in a few taps if they are due for a government-funded upgrade, thanks to an online address checker launched today (Friday 13 March).

The new GOV.UK service allows people in England and Wales to enter their postcode to instantly see if their home or business is covered by existing rollout plans, whether through the government’s Project Gigabit rollout targeting hard-to-reach areas or the telecoms industry’s own commercial plans. This will empower rural communities to more easily see how the government’s multi-billion-pound investment in gigabit rollout could benefit them.

It comes as Project Gigabit drives a surge of spades in the ground to deliver lightning-fast full fibre to neighbourhoods across the British countryside. The UK government is now delivering broadband upgrades at its fastest rate since Project Gigabit started in 2021, with over 750 homes and businesses gaining access to a gigabit-capable connection every day as a direct result of its investment.* Over a million more premises are due to receive upgrades through live Project Gigabit contracts, and even more are expected to fall into scope in the months ahead. 

Through a landmark deal struck with Openreach worth up to £1.2 billion, engineers are now bringing full fibre broadband upgrades to properties in more than 100 rural towns and villages across England and Wales. Meanwhile, hundreds more are now receiving government-backed upgrades from the many other broadband providers working on Project Gigabit.

As the government continues its mission to achieve 99% gigabit coverage by 2032, the online address checker makes it much simpler and quicker for people struggling with slow connections to find out if upgrades are available in their area or what plans are in place to deliver these in the future.

Gigabit-capable broadband delivers faster, more reliable internet that can handle multiple users downloading, streaming or online gaming at the same time. The rollout will ensure households and businesses can stay connected now and in the future, with fewer outages and less competition for bandwidth.

UK Telecoms Minister, Liz Lloyd, said: 

Many rural communities have long struggled to do even the basics online due to slow internet speeds. Now, hundreds of households and companies are receiving government-funded upgrades every day – helping those who would otherwise miss out.

Our new address checker puts power in people’s hands to instantly find out when faster broadband is coming to their doorstep, helping them seize the opportunities of the digital age no matter where they live or work.

Katie Milligan, Openreach’s Deputy CEO, said:  

We’re proud to be working with the UK government to extend the reach of faster, more reliable full fibre broadband to some of Britain’s hardest-to-reach communities. Our engineers live and work in these areas too, so they know how much difference good connectivity can make to everyday life.

Our new network is already available to more than 22 million homes and businesses and, as our Project Gigabit partnership accelerates, even more communities will start to see the benefits – whether that’s better access to online services, new opportunities for local businesses, or simply being able to stay connected with friends and family.

Mobile coverage in rural areas is also continuing to improve thanks to government investment, most recently on the Scottish island of Islay where a new 4G mast has just been activated – providing fast, reliable mobile internet for communities that previously couldn’t get a signal at all.

Through the Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme, 123 mobile masts have been upgraded or built to provide 4G coverage from all mobile network operators, including 50 in Wales, 43 in Scotland and 30 in England. The upgrades mean 4G is now available across over 4000 sq km that previously had limited coverage – equivalent to the size of Greater London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh combined. The vast majority of these upgrades involved improving equipment on existing masts, minimising any impact on local scenery through new infrastructure.

The new 4G mast located on the west of Islay was built by EE and will deliver commercial coverage from all major operators, including Vodafone, Three and Virgin Media O2. 4G is now available at popular tourist destinations including the Ballinaby Standing Stones, Loch Gorm, Machir Bay Beach, and Saligo Bay Beach – providing a much-needed boost for residents and local businesses.

Islay has a population of just over 3,000 people but welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. The island is home to some of the world’s most famous whisky brands, including the Kilchoman distillery, the first farm distillery built on the island in more than a century.

The distillery’s General Manager, Islay Heads, said: 

I think people on the mainland take reliable 4G connectivity for granted, but we certainly don’t. From a business perspective, our visitors are now able to post reviews and photos before they leave the site, something guests often forgot to do before, as they had to wait until they had a mobile signal. We can also now run live presentations and tastings from areas outside the distillery which allows more people to see how our traditional farm distilling process works.

It makes our ability to communicate with suppliers and team members much quicker as well. In modern business, these sorts of efficiencies are important to our overall success as a local enterprise and international brand.

Ben Roome, CEO of Mova said: 

People want a connection they can rely on, wherever they are. In less populated, rural, areas, modern 4G does that brilliantly. This site brings mobile broadband to parts of Islay that haven’t had it, making day‑to‑day life a bit easier for the people who live, work and visit.