The report has been published in light of the company’s new ‘benchmarking framework,’ which scores England 86 out of a possible 100. Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales with scored 80, 79 and 77 respectively.
According to FarrPoint, the aforementioned Digital Connectivity Readiness Index (DCRI) is intended to “support UK policy makers and digital leaders in enhancing their digital connectivity strategies.” The scores are derived from “a range of infrastructure and digital adoption metrics”.
Data sources include Ofcom, as well as the Office for National Statistics.
Discussing the organisation’s work, a spokesperson said: “FarrPoint is currently working with several local authorities across the UK to define their DCRI scores, which will then be used to track and benchmark progress over time.
“The UK as a whole has an average DCRI score of 84, with an infrastructure sub-score of 87, showing the effectiveness of the UK government’s prioritisation of investment in improving digital network infrastructure. On adoption, the UK scores 83 suggesting there is more to be done.”
Looking beyond the headline scores, there are a range of differences in performance between the four nations on infrastructure and adoption.
FarrPoint senior economist, Matthew Izatt-Lowry, said: “Digital connectivity is increasingly important in enabling economic, social and environmental change. We understand how vital it is for local decision makers to take an evidence-based approach to understand their key challenges and opportunities.
“That’s why we have created the Digital Connectivity Readiness Index as a tool to enable the sector to make the best possible decisions. It’s important for [decision makers] to have this kind of information when developing digital strategies and prioritising projects, to maximise impact and benefits for their region.”
