Digital Connectivity in London

• London lacks full fibre connections. In Spain 83 per cent of all its buildings are connected to pure fibre. In the UK the figure is just 3 per cent or even less.
• London is held back by limited 4G coverage – ranking in the bottom 5 UK cities with 73.6 per cent of 4G coverage.
• London ranked 30th out of 63 cities across the UK, in terms of high speed broadband coverage.

The London Assembly Regeneration Committee investigated digital connectivity in the capital. The Committee found:

• London’s success and international competitiveness are under threat because of sub-standard digital connectivity.
• The capital is poorly served, suffering from ‘not spots’ and ‘digital deserts’, in areas like Rotherhithe in Southwark.

• The Chief Digital Officer must support Londoners, especially renters, to make well-informed decisions about their connectivity needs. There is little reliable information available before moving into an area.
• The next London Plan should encourage boroughs to produce local connectivity plans to ensure sufficient access to a minimum level of broadband service. Applications for new developments should provide upgrades to connectivity to meet what is outlined in local plans.
• The Chief Digital Officer should encourage Transport for London to grant providers access to the ducts they own, so that they can use existing networks as opportunities.