Local authority · Scotland
SHETLAND ISLANDS Broadband Coverage
Full-fibre reach, coverage gaps and how SHETLAND ISLANDS compares across 361 UK local authorities, from Ofcom Connected Nations data.
- 20%
- Full-fibre coverage
- #360
- of 361 UK authorities
- −61pp
- vs 81% UK average
- 13,367
- premises covered
The verdict
SHETLAND ISLANDS ranks #360 of 361 local authorities for full-fibre (20.0%) and #5 for the fixed/FWA availability gap (1.7%) - those two corpus maps diverge. It is among the harder-to-reach areas for full-fibre with 20% full-fibre coverage, 61pp below the 81% UK average (bottom 0.6%).
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-SHETLAND-ISLANDS · SHETLAND ISLANDS 13,367 premises · Scotland
BOOK-RURAL · RANK-LOWER · FF-LOW
- BOOK-RURAL 13,367
- RANK-LOWER #360
- FF-LOW 20%
- GAP-SMALL 1.7%
- DELTA-LAG -61pp
- IN-NA-MID #31 in Scotland
- NEAR-ABOVE under HARLOW
- MIX-FTTP-LED FTTP-led
Nearest full-fibre peer: HARLOW (+ 21.9 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%
- SHETLAND ISLANDS 20%
- HARLOW 41.9%
- REDDITCH 49.6%
- NORTH NORFOLK 54.5%
- STEVENAGE 56.8%
Coverage by Technology - SHETLAND ISLANDS
Where SHETLAND ISLANDS Sits Nationally
SHETLAND ISLANDS vs every UK local authority
Full-fibre coverage distribution across all 361 UK local authorities. SHETLAND ISLANDS's 20% places it in the highlighted band.
20% Bottom 0.6% ranked #360 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) | 20% |
| Gigabit-Capable | 20% |
| Ultrafast Broadband (≥300 Mbit/s) | 20% |
| Ultrafast (≥100 Mbit/s) | 20% |
| Superfast (≥30 Mbit/s) | 87% |
| NGA (any next-generation access) | 94.1% |
| No decent fixed/FWA broadband | 1.7% |
| Full-Fibre Take-Up (all premises) | 10% |
| Full-Fibre Take-Up (covered premises) | 49% |
| Total Premises | 13,367 |
| National Rank (Full-Fibre) | #360 / 361 |
Related
Source: Open Government Licence v3.0.
Nationwide local authorities with similar full-fibre or gigabit coverage
Two Ofcom peer sets for SHETLAND ISLANDS, both outside Scotland so the neighborhoods are not the same-nation Nearby block above.
Similar full-fibre
Nearest other-nation local authorities by full-fibre coverage (20% here; floor ≥10,000 premises).
Similar gigabit
Nearest other-nation local authorities by gigabit-capable coverage (20% here).
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is full-fibre coverage lower in SHETLAND ISLANDS?
Ofcom records 20% full-fibre coverage across 13,367 premises (rank #360 of 361). Gigabit-capable coverage is 20%; 1.7% of premises lack decent fixed/FWA broadband on the Spring 2026 measure. Figures are availability, not take-up or service quality.
Which Ofcom speeds are already present in SHETLAND ISLANDS?
Superfast (≥30 Mbit/s) reaches 87% of premises, ultrafast (≥300 Mbit/s) 20%, and NGA any-next-gen 94.1%. Full-fibre (FTTP) is 20%. Source: Ofcom Connected Nations Spring 2026 (January 2026 snapshot, published May 2026 (r1)).
What 20% full-fibre means for SHETLAND ISLANDS
SHETLAND ISLANDS is 61pp behind the 81% UK average, worth checking your own address before assuming the gap applies to you.
- Check your own address, an authority average can hide big street-by-street differences in coverage. Check your postcode
- See how SHETLAND ISLANDS ranks against every other UK local authority, not just the national average. Full UK rankings
- Learn what to do if full-fibre is not available at your address yet. 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.