Consultancy firm FarrPoint has published the first 2025 edition of their Digital Connectivity Readiness Index (DCRI), which ranks the G7 countries by the quality and coverage of their digital infrastructure (broadband, 5G etc.), as well as other areas like digital skills and online security etc. Overall, the United Kingdom continues to rank top and has improved its scores.
The scores contained within this report are based on key indicators gathered from a series of data sources, such as Ofcom and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in the UK. The infrastructure side covers four key indicators based on metrics around gigabit broadband, “decent fixed connectivity” (this isn’t clearly defined), 4G and 5G mobile connectivity.
Meanwhile, on the adoption side, several key indicators have been produced looking at the following categories: Online Households, Digital Skills, Security Online, Online Wellbeing, Access to Public Services, Affordability, the Digital Economy and Innovation.
Overall, the UK managed to top the report again and beat the other G7 countries (France, USA, Germany, Canada, Italy and Japan), while also improving its general DCRI score from 84 in September 2024 to 86 today. Similarly, the UK’s ‘infrastructure’ score also climbed from 89 to 90 over the same period, while our score for ‘adoption’ increased a little from 82 to 83.
However, it’s worth noting that the UK struggles on the “infrastructure” side when compared with the other G7 countries, which sees us ranking 4th – just above the USA and Italy. By comparison, Japan comes top for infrastructure, due to its excellent levels of gigabit broadband and mobile connectivity. But Japan only ranks 6th on adoption due to affordability issues, a lack of digital skills, and concerns about online wellbeing.
Matthew Izatt-Lowry, Head of Economics at FarrPoint, said:
“Digital connectivity is about more than just infrastructure. It’s about enabling people, communities, and businesses to thrive in the digital landscape.
It’s interesting to note that performance across the UK nations has diverged over the past year, with Scotland and Northern Ireland making notable strides, while other regions face ongoing challenges in adoption. The DCRI offers decision-makers the insights they need to build resilient, inclusive, and future-proof digital strategies.”