Ofcom publishes interactive fibre broadband map

Communications regulator Ofcom has announced the launch of the UK's first interactive map highlighting the state of fibre broadband services for over 200 areas of the country.

Set up by the regulator as part of its report on the country's communications infrastructure to the secretary of state for culture, media and sport which takes place every three years, the map uses actual data from local authorities.

It includes figures on the availability of fibre optic broadband, average broadband take-up numbers and average actual speeds for ADSL and cable, as well as the percentage of properties presently not receiving broadband of 2Mbps.

Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards said: "We are now developing a clear picture of the UK's fixed broadband infrastructure and how it delivers for consumers."

Luton in England and Newtownabbey in Northern Ireland were found to top the chart for fibre optic broadband access.

However, a further report by Ofcom recently revealed that actual download speeds received by consumers across the UK are presently less than half of advertised rates on average.

The average UK download speed presently stands at 6.2Mbps, just 45 per cent of the average advertised speed of up to 13.8Mbps.