Local authority · Wales
CARDIFF Broadband Coverage
Full-fibre reach, coverage gaps and how CARDIFF compares across 361 UK local authorities, from Ofcom Connected Nations data.
- 87%
- Full-fibre coverage
- #109
- of 361 UK authorities
- +6pp
- vs 81% UK average
- 172,880
- premises covered
The verdict
CARDIFF ranks #109 of 361 local authorities for full-fibre (87.0%) and #202 for the fixed/FWA availability gap (0.0%) - those two corpus maps diverge. It is ahead of the UK average for full-fibre with 87% full-fibre coverage, 6pp above the 81% UK average (top 30.2%).
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-CARDIFF · CARDIFF 172,880 premises · Wales
BOOK-LARGE · RANK-MID · FF-HIGH
- BOOK-LARGE 172,880
- RANK-MID #109
- FF-HIGH 87%
- GAP-CLEAR 0%
- DELTA-LEAD +6pp
- IN-NA-MID #7 in Wales
- PHOTO-FINISH ≈ ISLE OF WIGHT
- MIX-CABLE +7.4pp cable
Nearest full-fibre peer: ISLE OF WIGHT (+ 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%
- CARDIFF 87%
- ISLE OF WIGHT 87%
- NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE 86.9%
- CAMDEN 86.9%
- LANCASTER 87.2%
Coverage by Technology - CARDIFF
Where CARDIFF Sits Nationally
CARDIFF vs every UK local authority
Full-fibre coverage distribution across all 361 UK local authorities. CARDIFF's 87% places it in the highlighted band.
87% Top 30.2% ranked #109 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) | 87% |
| Gigabit-Capable | 94.4% |
| Ultrafast Broadband (≥300 Mbit/s) | 94.9% |
| Ultrafast (≥100 Mbit/s) | 95.4% |
| Superfast (≥30 Mbit/s) | 98.1% |
| NGA (any next-generation access) | 98.3% |
| Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) | 57% |
| No decent fixed/FWA broadband | 0% |
| Full-Fibre Take-Up (all premises) | 39% |
| Full-Fibre Take-Up (covered premises) | 45% |
| Total Premises | 172,880 |
| National Rank (Full-Fibre) | #109 / 361 |
Related
Source: Open Government Licence v3.0.
Nationwide local authorities with similar full-fibre or gigabit coverage
Two Ofcom peer sets for CARDIFF, both outside Wales so the neighborhoods are not the same-nation Nearby block above.
Similar full-fibre
Nearest other-nation local authorities by full-fibre coverage (87% here; floor ≥10,000 premises).
Similar gigabit
Nearest other-nation local authorities by gigabit-capable coverage (94.4% here).
Frequently Asked Questions
How close is CARDIFF to universal full-fibre?
Ofcom Connected Nations Spring 2026 puts full-fibre (FTTP) at 87% of premises in CARDIFF (corpus rank #109 of 361). Gigabit-capable coverage is 94.4%. The UK average full-fibre share is 81%.
Is the fixed/FWA availability gap closed in CARDIFF?
Ofcom's Spring 2026 measure shows every measured premise in CARDIFF can receive decent broadband from a fixed line or fixed-wireless network.
What 87% full-fibre means for CARDIFF
CARDIFF is 6pp 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 CARDIFF ranks against every other UK local authority, not just the national average. Full UK rankings
- Understand what full-fibre actually gets you before switching. How Ofcom Connected Nations works
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.