Urgent call for easier fibre upgrades to stop 20,000 Leicester flats falling behind

Thousands of homes in Leicester risk missing out on the benefits of full fibre broadband due to outstanding “wayleaves” that are blocking upgrades in many apartment buildings and flats.

Across the city, there are 140,000 homes and businesses, of which 55,000 have already been upgraded to full fibre, thanks to the dedicated efforts of Openreach.

However, of 27,000 flats and apartments eligible for this upgrade, only 4,800 have been connected so far. This leaves around 20,000 properties still needing crucial wayleave agreements from landlords and property owners.

Without these agreements, Openreach engineers are unable to install full fibre.

Kasam Hussain, Openreach’s regional partnership director for the Midlands, warns: "While full fibre is transforming connectivity for many in Leicester, 20,000 flats and apartments risk being left behind due to it being difficult to secure wayleaves. This digital divide means some residents may be stuck with slower connections while others living nearby can enjoy ultrafast speeds.

Kasam added, "Due to the difficulty in reaching many landlords and property owners, we are also advocating for changes in national legislation. We are pushing for reforms that would grant automatic fibre upgrade permissions, particularly for smaller buildings. Such legislative changes would streamline the process, remove unnecessary delays, and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to benefit from faster broadband."

At present, Openreach engineers are permitted to maintain existing copper networks but cannot upgrade them to fibre without securing wayleave agreements.

The process is often made more difficult by the need to seek permission with hard-to-reach landlords, causing delays in the roll-out of full fibre.

To bridge this digital divide, Openreach is urging landlords and property managers across Leicester to act swiftly. The company has also called for legislative changes in its recently published report, A Blueprint for Continuing Success in the UK’s Telecoms Market.

Full fibre broadband offers significantly faster speeds and more reliable connections, which are essential for modern living. From supporting home working and online education to enabling smooth streaming and gaming, full fibre is crucial for keeping up with growing data demands.

Residents can check the availability of full fibre in their area using the Openreach postcode checker and are encouraged to contact their broadband provider to make the switch.