The UK's communications regulator Ofcom has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the nation benefits from world-leading mobile and broadband connectivity. Natalie Black, Ofcom's group director for communications, highlighted at the Parliament & Internet Conference that the regulator will play a vital role in unlocking opportunities, encouraging investment, and opening doors for technological innovation across the UK.

Black emphasized three key priorities for Ofcom: expanding broadband access, improving mobile services, and supporting growth and spectrum innovation in space-based communications. Over the last six years, the UK has accelerated its full-fibre broadband rollout, now boasting the fastest rollout rate in Europe. While only 7% of homes and businesses could access ultrafast full-fibre connections in 2019, that figure has soared to 75% today. This rapid progress is credited to a collaborative effort between the regulator and industry stakeholders.

Competition has driven innovation, leading to advances such as new sliced fibre techniques and proactive network monitoring, which help resolve technical issues before they impact customers. The average household now consumes over 500GB of broadband data monthly, with homes on full-fibre reaching upwards of 750GB.

Looking ahead, Ofcom believes that, if all planned deployments succeed, nearly 96% of UK properties could benefit from full-fibre connectivity by 2027. However, Black stressed that growth will not come at the expense of consumer protection—networks must remain secure and affordable, as well as fast.

On mobile connectivity, Black noted that although average data usage has tripled since 2019, average prices have actually fallen—showcasing the positive impact of regulatory action. Ofcom will continue collaborating with government and industry to further improve mobile coverage, including enhanced connectivity on the rail network.

The third area of focus is spectrum and space—described as the “final frontier” for growth. Ofcom is taking a proactive approach in allocating spectrum for innovative new use cases, including private mobile networks and advanced satellite services, and is working to develop spectrum licenses that support the nation's ambitions in space technology.

Black concluded that continued collaboration between industry, regulators, and government will be essential in maintaining the UK’s momentum and enabling further connectivity-driven societal and economic gains.