The UK’s Next Broadband Jump: Multi-Gig, Wi-Fi 7 and Beyond

This guide looks at what’s changing, how the main providers are preparing for it, and what you should look out for if you’re upgrading your broadband over the next few years.

Where the UK stands in 2025

Most homes in the UK can now order at least one gigabit-capable broadband plan. That includes full fibre to the premises (FTTP) and cable broadband, though many older cable areas are being replaced with full fibre. Openreach is continuing to expand its FTTP rollout across cities, towns and rural communities, providing the infrastructure for providers like BT, Sky, EE, Plusnet and Vodafone.

CityFibre is also building a national full fibre network, used by dozens of smaller and mid-sized broadband providers. Virgin Media O2 is replacing its legacy cable network with full fibre and has set a goal to complete this by 2028. Meanwhile, alternative networks like Hyperoptic, Community Fibre and YouFibre are offering symmetric full fibre broadband in cities and regional hubs across the UK.

The overall trend is clear: copper is being phased out, coaxial cable is being replaced, and pure fibre connections are becoming the default option.

The multi-gig step: beyond 1 Gbps

Getting to 1 Gbps downloads was a major milestone for UK broadband, but we’re already moving past that. With the arrival of XGS-PON, a faster fibre access technology, networks can now support speeds well above 1 Gbps. This opens the door to 2.5 Gbps, 5 Gbps and even higher download tiers.

Retail ISPs using Openreach or CityFibre infrastructure will be able to offer these faster plans as the wholesale capacity comes online. Virgin Media’s own fibre rollout will also support multi-gigabit packages once it transitions away from DOCSIS.

Why does this matter? Because broadband usage in the home keeps growing. Game downloads and updates can be over 100GB. Photo and video libraries sync across multiple devices. People stream in 4K, run video calls, and use cloud backups all at once. Multi-gig speeds make a real difference when your connection is busy and everyone wants to do something at the same time.

Uploads finally get their moment

Broadband in the UK has always focused on download speeds. Uploads, especially on FTTC and cable lines, have often been very limited. That’s now changing with full fibre.

Symmetric speeds – where upload matches download – are starting to appear more often, especially on faster plans. Even when the speeds aren’t completely equal, uploads are climbing into the hundreds of megabits, and some alt-nets already offer multi-gig symmetric options.

Faster uploads help with:

• Smooth video calls when someone else is uploading a file
• Quicker cloud backups and photo syncs
• Sending large design, code or video files from home
• Live streaming and remote desktop use

If you’re comparing providers, it’s worth checking upload speeds as well as download. The difference between 30 Mbps up and 300 Mbps up can have a big impact on how reliable your connection feels, especially during peak times.

Wi-Fi 7: bringing multi-gig into real rooms

Getting fast fibre to your house is only part of the equation. You also need fast Wi-Fi to actually use it. Wi-Fi 7 helps bridge that gap.

The latest version of Wi-Fi introduces wider 320 MHz channels, better data modulation, and multi-link operation, which lets devices use two bands at once. That means faster speeds at short range, and better performance when lots of people are connected at the same time.

If you’re upgrading your broadband to 1 Gbps or more, look for a router or mesh system with:

• A 2.5G WAN port and at least one 2.5G LAN port
• Support for the 6 GHz band as well as 5 GHz
• Ethernet backhaul between mesh units, where possible

BT, Sky and Virgin Media are already upgrading their routers to support Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7. Hyperoptic and Community Fibre often include Wi-Fi 6 mesh options or allow you to use your own. If you want full performance from your new line, don’t leave the Wi-Fi out of the picture.

What comes after Wi-Fi 7

Wi-Fi 7 isn’t the final destination. Wi-Fi 8, expected around 2028, focuses less on speed and more on consistency and latency. It aims to provide smooth roaming between access points, lower lag for games and calls, and better handling of crowded environments like blocks of flats.

There’s also increasing interest in LiFi – networking using light – for high-density and low-interference settings. It’s unlikely to replace Wi-Fi in homes, but it could complement it in specific scenarios.

Wiring the home for multi-gig

Wi-Fi helps, but some things are still better with a cable. Gaming PCs, consoles, smart TVs and home servers all benefit from wired connections, especially when you’re trying to make the most of a multi-gig service.

Run at least one 2.5G Ethernet cable from your router to a central switch, and connect fixed devices directly. If you can’t run cable, consider G.hn or MoCA adapters for backhaul between mesh nodes. For home renovations or new builds, installing Cat6A cabling can save you time and hassle later on.

Virgin Media’s fibre push and what it means

If you’ve been on Virgin Media’s cable broadband, you’ve probably had quick downloads but limited uploads. Most plans offer just 20 to 50 Mbps up, even when downloads hit hundreds of megabits. That’s because Virgin Media has been using DOCSIS technology over coaxial cable, which limits upstream bandwidth.

Virgin Media is now replacing its old cable lines with full fibre, postcode by postcode. This switch to fibre removes the upload limitations and opens the door to higher speeds and lower latency. Once the fibre upgrade reaches your area, you can expect better upstream performance, more reliable speeds in the evening, and access to faster plans in the future.

The upgraded fibre lines will eventually allow Virgin Media to offer symmetric packages or multi-gigabit uploads, depending on the retail plan. Performance on gaming, video calls and file transfers should all improve. The upgrade is also part of a wider expansion through Nexfibre, a new wholesale network built by Virgin Media O2 and partners, which is pushing fibre into new areas that previously had no access to Virgin broadband.

Openreach and CityFibre: how retail choice emerges

Openreach and CityFibre are the two largest wholesale fibre networks in the UK. Most homes passed by full fibre from BT, Sky, Plusnet, EE or Vodafone are using Openreach. CityFibre powers dozens of independent providers in cities and large towns.

As both networks move to XGS-PON, they can offer faster plans and higher uploads. The same address may show different speed options depending on which wholesale network your provider uses. In some areas, you might see a 2.5 Gbps symmetric option from one provider and a 900 Mbps plan from another.

It’s worth checking who supplies the infrastructure behind your provider. It can explain differences in availability, performance and pricing, even if the speeds look similar on paper.

Spectrum and policy: unlocking 6 GHz indoors

Wi-Fi 7 benefits most when it can use the 6 GHz band. This provides wider channels and less interference from older Wi-Fi devices. Ofcom has already made some of this band available, but full access – especially for outdoor use and higher power levels – will depend on further regulation.

More access to 6 GHz spectrum means better performance in garden offices, flats and crowded areas. When combined with Wi-Fi 7 hardware, it’ll make it easier to get consistent gigabit+ speeds across the whole house.

The quiet upgrades you don’t see but always feel

Behind the scenes, broadband networks are also improving. Core infrastructure is shifting to 400G and 800G optical links, with terabit systems coming next. These upgrades reduce congestion and keep latency down during busy hours.

New technologies like hollow-core fibre are being tested for ultra-low latency backhaul. There’s also research into quantum-secure key distribution to protect critical network traffic in the future. You won’t see these details in your broadband package, but you’ll notice the difference when things stay fast and responsive at peak time.

What “beyond” looks like for UK homes

The future of broadband in the UK points towards symmetric multi-gigabit plans as the norm, at least in areas with full fibre coverage. Faster tiers like 5 Gbps and 10 Gbps will become available, while some providers will offer 25G or 50G to meet demand from creators, prosumers and small teams working from home.

In-home networks will keep pace with Wi-Fi 7 and beyond, delivering consistent low-latency coverage across the entire property. Routers will get smarter, managing traffic more intelligently and using failover options like 5G or satellite if the fibre line goes down.

Wi-Fi will also become more context-aware. Features like motion detection and presence sensing using Wi-Fi signals will start appearing in premium routers, with privacy safeguards built in.

How the main UK providers are moving

BT and Sky will introduce faster packages as Openreach’s XGS-PON upgrades roll out. Their routers will gradually shift to Wi-Fi 7. Virgin Media’s fibre build is the most important infrastructure change in its history and should dramatically improve upload performance.

Vodafone and Plusnet will benefit from the same Openreach upgrades and are likely to refresh their own router offerings. Alt-nets like Hyperoptic and Community Fibre already offer symmetric gigabit plans and multi-gig tiers in select areas, and will likely expand these as demand grows.

The key point is that broadband availability is postcode-specific. Two addresses on the same road may have entirely different options depending on which network is in place.

Picking a plan the smart way

When upgrading broadband:

• Check the upload speed, not just the download.
• Look for a router or mesh system with 2.5G ports and Wi-Fi 7 if you’re going for multi-gig.
• Consider mobile backup or future dual-line routers for resilience.
• Make sure your devices can take advantage of the speed – many older laptops and TVs are limited to 1 Gbps or less.

Barriers the UK still needs to clear

Device limitations are still an issue. Many homes have laptops or TVs that top out at 1 Gbps or don’t support modern Wi-Fi. Home layouts can be tricky too, especially in long or thick-walled properties where one router won’t be enough.

There’s also the issue of spectrum congestion on 2.4 and 5 GHz bands in flats and dense buildings. Until 6 GHz becomes more widely used, interference will remain a challenge. Finally, some retail plans may lag behind the wholesale upgrades already in place, meaning not all available speed is offered to consumers straight away.

A realistic 2025–2030 view

Between now and 2026, expect to see XGS-PON expand, symmetric tiers become more common, and Wi-Fi 7 routers offered with faster packages. From 2026 to 2028, multi-gig plans will appear in more areas, and Wi-Fi 8 hardware will start to emerge.

By 2030, fibre will have replaced most of the UK’s legacy broadband infrastructure. Multi-gig symmetric will be common, and home Wi-Fi will focus on reliability, latency and seamless coverage rather than just top speed.

FAQ

Do I need Wi-Fi 7 for a 2.5 Gbps broadband plan?
You’ll still benefit from a 2.5 Gbps connection using Ethernet, but to get those speeds wirelessly, Wi-Fi 7 with 6 GHz support and a 2.5G backhaul is essential.

Will UK broadband uploads ever match downloads?
Yes, especially in areas with full fibre. Symmetric packages are already available on some networks, and others will follow as fibre rollouts continue.

What’s the benefit of 5 to 10 Gbps at home?
It reduces waiting times for large downloads, keeps performance high across many devices, and future-proofs your connection.

When will 6 GHz make a difference to UK Wi-Fi?
It’s already improving Wi-Fi in homes with compatible devices. Broader use will improve once more of the band is available for standard power indoors and outdoors.

Is 50G fibre coming to homes?
Not yet, but the technology is ready. For now, XGS-PON is the focus, enabling symmetric multi-gig plans that meet most home needs.

Further Reading