Published: 8th May 2021 Updated: 2nd September 2025
We’re always focused on future-proof full-fibre, so we’re diving into the evolution of broadband! Whether it’s looking at how our connection to the internet has evolved or how broadband has changed over time, there’s no doubt that fibre optic cables have had a huge impact in delivering a faster and more reliable service.
a time before broadband technology
Anyone old enough is sure to feel a deep sense of nostalgia when thinking about dial up internet. Unplugging the phone line, connecting your modem and waiting for the noise. Ah, the noise! The glorious symphony that greeted you each time you wanted to browse the web. A noise synonymous with the internet in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Often, the thrill of being connected to the worldwide web was short-lived. Connection was usually quickly followed by shouts of “get off the internet, I need to use the phone!” coming from the next room.
That was before broadband revolutionised the internet. By allowing the signal in one line to be split, broadband enabled users to make calls and be online simultaneously.
game changing broadband technology
As with most new technologies, broadband was extremely expensive when it launched in 2000. Despite ground-breaking speeds up to 512 kbps, uptake was slow for a few years.
It wasn’t until 2008 that broadband usage really took off. The surge in popularity and availability resulted in over 50% of UK homes having access to a broadband service by the end of 2009.
The speed and reliability of broadband sparked a digital transformation. It helped to change consumer habits and revolutionised the way we communicate with each other, access content, listen to music and watch TV and films.
fibre optic revolution
Broadband technology continued to develop with the invention of fibre optic cable being used to provide broadband in 2008. These were designed to replace the older copper wires which traditionally connected us to the internet.
Over the last 13 years fibre has gradually been phasing out copper in the broadband infrastructure of the UK. By transmitting information via pulses of light, fibre optic cables have been responsible for dramatically improving broadband speeds.
In the UK, average download speeds have increased by a factor of 20 between 2008 and 2020, from 3.6 Mbps to 72 Mbps in an Ofcom report.
However, even in 2025, there is a large proportion of the UK still using copper wires for some, or all, of their connection to the internet.
Given this, it is perhaps unsurprising to see the UK placed at 47th in the world for broadband speeds, according to speedtest.net ranking, in 2021. Still only reaching the 43rd place in 2025.
With an average download speed across the UK being below 150 Mbps, the UK is lagging behind the rest of the world when it comes to providing world-class connectivity.
broadband evolution at the speed of light
The next step in the evolution of broadband is getting rid of those pesky copper cables for a full-fibre broadband service.
Even in 2025, we need to distinguish between the types of broadband connections, with fibre broadband packages and a full-fibre broadband packages both being sold.
Most fibre connections still rely on copper wires to reach your home. This type of connection is known as fibre-to-the cabinet (FTTC). With around 50% of all connections in the UK being FTTC, it is by far the most popular choice.
In a FTTC connection, fibre optic cables are used to transmit information to the local cabinet, usually located somewhere in your street. From there, traditional copper wires carry the signal into your home. FTTC was a necessary step in the evolution of broadband, however, using copper wires for the final stage of the journey dramatically reduces the speed and reliability of the service you receive. The slowdown from the cabinet to our homes is really highlighted by the average FTTC speeds, which in 2020 were approximately 50 Mbps for download and 10 Mbps for upload.
A reliance on outdated broadband technology means FTTC connections are vulnerable to adverse weather, temperature fluctuations and electromagnetic interference. The distance from the cabinet, throttled speeds at peak times and the age of the wire being used also impacts the speed and reliability of FTTC connections. With so many potential obstacles, FTTC networks experience a variance in speed and performance, especially at peak times, when network capacity becomes strained.
