Is Your Region Ready? The State of UK Connectivity in 2025

State of the UK's Connectivity

As the public sector pivots towards digital service delivery, automation, and AI, the availability of core infrastructure, namely fibre and 5G, has become a bellwether for a region’s digital readiness.  

Intelligens Consulting’s State of the UK’s Connectivity Landscape (2025) report (which is downloadable from our website) offers comprehensive analysis of the nation’s fibre and 5G coverage. It provides essential insights for local authority leaders responsible for economic development, transformation, place-making, and digital infrastructure.  

The national picture shows a two-speed digital Britain 

Northern Ireland leads on full-fibre coverage at 96%, with Kingston upon Hull achieving an extraordinary 99.8% fibre penetration. In contrast, rural Scotland and parts of England still struggle. Coverage in Shetland sits at just 12%, and Harlow District (England) remains stuck at 14%. Meanwhile, towns like Rossendale and Mansfield have seen dramatic improvements—fibre availability jumping from under 30% to over 60% in a year due to targeted investment and public-private collaboration. 

The divide is even more stark for 5G 

Inner London boroughs such as Newham, Westminster, and Camden all exceed 97% 5G coverage across all four MNOs. Yet outer boroughs and rural areas show sharp contrasts: Richmond upon Thames has fallen to just 17% coverage, while Na h-Eileanan Siar and Shetland Island authorities sit at 6%. In Wales, Cardiff stands out with 95% 5G coverage, but neighbouring Newport is languishing at 14%. 

There is more to digital readiness than fibre and 5G coverage 

We recognise that there is more to digital readiness than connectivity and that there is more to connectivity than fibre or 5G. However, based on the consistency of the data, 5G and fibre are good signals of a local authority’s digital readiness, and serve as useful proxies for a region’s ability to thrive socially and economically.  

Connectivity is a bedrock, but is not the end goal 

From enabling AI to powering sensors, cameras, and data platforms, connectivity is the bedrock of smart, productive, and inclusive places.  

However, Local authorities should not assume that digital connectivity is the end goal. Its not simply about getting 100% fibre or 5G coverage.

Although underperforming authorities must expand their infrastructure by attracting investment, those with strong coverage must build on it with a clear roadmap of use cases, a data and AI strategy, and technologies that reduce costs, improve productivity, and grow revenues for local authorities. True transformation comes not just from networks, but from how they’re used to deliver smarter, more sustainable public services and whole-council transformation. 

The most successful local authorities haven’t waited. It’s your move! 

These aren’t just fibre or 5G statistics. They are indicators of whether your region is ready to support digitally enabled services in transport, housing, health, tourism, and beyond. Regions with poor infrastructure risk falling behind, not just in connectivity, but in economic opportunity, public service innovation, and investment appeal. 

The most successful local authorities haven’t waited. They’ve acted: aligning digital infrastructure with regeneration, partnering with operators to accelerate deployment, and sending strong market signals that their area is open to investment. 

But no one else will do this for you. The UK Government moves slowly. Investors will not come without confidence and clarity. As a local authority leader whether in digital, place, transformation, or the Chief Executive, it’s your move. 

Five Key Actions and Takeaways for Local Authorities 

Intelligens Consulting recommends five critical steps for local authority leaders to transform their digital readiness, to attract digital investment and create whole council transformation: 

1. Assess your region’s digital readiness, using an objective and independent framework. 

   
   

2. Build a shared vision that unites leadership, services, and departments behind digital transformation. 

   
   

3. Engage investors and mobile/fibre operators, using discovery sessions and market sounding to understand potential. 

   
   

4. Create a joined-up roadmap linking infrastructure to real service outcomes and citizen impact. 

   
   

5. Take control locally —don’t wait for national interventions. Act now to protect your region’s future. 

   
   

How we can help 

At Intelligens Consulting, we help councils with each of these steps—from readiness assessments and strategy creation, to business cases, procurement support, and impact evaluation. We’ve helped unlock millions in investment and enabled smarter, faster, and more resilient services. 

Contact us today for a discovery call or to request your tailored region summary at

Email: info@intelligensconsulting.com and you can download the full report at: https://www.intelligensconsulting.com/connectivity-report