Local authority · Northern Ireland
BELFAST Broadband Coverage
Full-fibre reach, coverage gaps and how BELFAST compares across 361 UK local authorities, from Ofcom Connected Nations data.
- 92.3%
- Full-fibre coverage
- #52
- of 361 UK authorities
- +11.3pp
- vs 81% UK average
- 174,558
- premises covered
The verdict
BELFAST ranks #52 of 361 local authorities for full-fibre (92.3%) and #176 for the fixed/FWA availability gap (0.0%) - those two corpus maps diverge. It is one of the best-connected places in the UK with 92.3% full-fibre coverage, 11.3pp above the 81% UK average (top 14.4%).
Data updated August 2026
Local authority figures are computed directly from Ofcom Connected Nations data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
Coverage desk
Extract OFCOM-CN-BELFAST · BELFAST 174,558 premises · Northern Ireland
BOOK-LARGE · RANK-UPPER · FF-HIGH
- BOOK-LARGE 174,558
- RANK-UPPER #52
- FF-HIGH 92.3%
- GAP-CLEAR 0%
- DELTA-LEAD +11.3pp
- IN-NA-MID #10 in Northern Ireland
- PHOTO-FINISH ≈ SHEFFIELD
- MIX-CABLE +3.4pp cable
Nearest full-fibre peer: SHEFFIELD (+ 0 pp full-fibre)
Instrument codes from this district’s Ofcom Connected Nations extract: premises book, corpus rank, full-fibre band, fixed/FWA gap, UK delta, in-nation rank, photo-finish peer, and gigabit mix, not a service-quality score.
Full-fibre neighbourhood
Nationwide coverage poles and nearest ABS full-fibre peers, not a reprint of the metrics table.
- #1 full-fibre · KINGSTON UPON HULL, 99.6%
- UK average 81%
- BELFAST 92.3%
- SHEFFIELD 92.3%
- TAMESIDE 92.2%
- WARRINGTON 92.2%
- RUGBY 92.2%
Coverage by Technology - BELFAST
Where BELFAST Sits Nationally
BELFAST vs every UK local authority
Full-fibre coverage distribution across all 361 UK local authorities. BELFAST's 92.3% places it in the highlighted band.
92.3% Top 14.4% ranked #52 of 361 UK authorities
every UK local authority, bucketed by full-fibre coverage
Source: Ofcom Connected Nations Spring 2026 (January 2026 snapshot, published May 2026 (r1))
Full Coverage Data
| Metric | Coverage |
|---|---|
| Full-Fibre (FTTP) | 92.3% |
| Gigabit-Capable | 95.7% |
| Ultrafast Broadband (≥300 Mbit/s) | 95.7% |
| Ultrafast (≥100 Mbit/s) | 95.7% |
| Superfast (≥30 Mbit/s) | 99% |
| NGA (any next-generation access) | 99.1% |
| No decent fixed/FWA broadband | 0% |
| Full-Fibre Take-Up (all premises) | 43% |
| Full-Fibre Take-Up (covered premises) | 47% |
| Total Premises | 174,558 |
| National Rank (Full-Fibre) | #52 / 361 |
Related
Source: Open Government Licence v3.0.
Nationwide local authorities with similar full-fibre or gigabit coverage
Two Ofcom peer sets for BELFAST, both outside Northern Ireland so the neighborhoods are not the same-nation Nearby block above.
Similar full-fibre
Nearest other-nation local authorities by full-fibre coverage (92.3% here; floor ≥10,000 premises).
Similar gigabit
Nearest other-nation local authorities by gigabit-capable coverage (95.7% here).
Frequently Asked Questions
How close is BELFAST to universal full-fibre?
Ofcom Connected Nations Spring 2026 puts full-fibre (FTTP) at 92.3% of premises in BELFAST (corpus rank #52 of 361). Gigabit-capable coverage is 95.7%. The UK average full-fibre share is 81%.
Is the fixed/FWA availability gap closed in BELFAST?
Ofcom's Spring 2026 measure shows every measured premise in BELFAST can receive decent broadband from a fixed line or fixed-wireless network.
What 92.3% full-fibre means for BELFAST
BELFAST is 11.3pp ahead of the 81% UK average, but coverage still varies street by street.
- Check your own address, an authority average can hide big street-by-street differences in coverage. Check your postcode
- See how BELFAST ranks against every other UK local authority, not just the national average. Full UK rankings
- Understand what full-fibre actually gets you before switching. Full-fibre vs gigabit guide
Coverage figures are Ofcom Connected Nations availability data, not a guarantee of service at any single address; always check before switching.
Source: Ofcom, Connected Nations Spring 2026, UK Fixed Broadband Coverage (January 2026 snapshot, published May 2026 (r1)). Retrieved and formatted by PlainBroadband. Disclaimer: Coverage figures show availability, not guaranteed service quality or actual take-up. Published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.