Key figures
The numbers and dates that matter when you plan or buy connectivity — each with where and when it applies, and its source.
Capacity for 1Gbps download and upload
Over full fibre — a leased line or fibre to the premises. The DfE says “copper connections do not meet this standard.” It is a figure per institution, not per user. Universities are not named in the DfE standards.
Source: DfE: Broadband internet core standard
Checked 25 October 2026
31 January 2027
Openreach says all traditional phone lines will go digital on this date. Alarms, lift lines, door entry, card machines and backup broadband on copper lines all need checking. See the PSTN switch-off guide.
Source: Openreach: Upgrading the UK to digital phone lines · DfE: Prepare your education estate for the PSTN and ISDN switch-off
Checked 25 October 2026
Over 560
Jisc also says eduroam is available in 101 countries, at no extra cost to organisations eligible for Jisc services.
Source: Jisc: eduroam
Checked 25 October 2026
A second connection of a different type, with automatic failover
To avoid a single point of failure: multiple connections of different service types (the DfE’s examples are a leased line with FTTP, or FTTP with low Earth orbit satellite), routers set up for automatic failover, and redundant power on core network equipment. Put it in alongside a new connection, or as soon as possible after.
Source: DfE: Broadband internet core standard
Checked 25 October 2026
6 million
Jisc’s own figure for the national research and education network. (We don’t quote a data-volume figure: two Jisc pages give contradictory ones.)
Source: Jisc: Janet network
Checked 25 October 2026
600+
Direct connections to other education and research networks, cloud providers and content providers, according to Jisc.
Source: Jisc: Janet network
Checked 25 October 2026
1Gbit/s to 100Gbit/s
Jisc describes connections from “a smaller institution running 1Gbits/s” to “a research-intensive organisation connected at 100Gbits/s”.
Source: Jisc: Janet network
Checked 25 October 2026
1G, 2×1G, 10G or 2×10G
Jisc describes the service as “particularly appropriate for FE, smaller organisations” and organisations with small IT teams. Hardware support is same business day (4 hours + 1), subject to site access. Resilience options cost extra.
Source: Jisc: Managed router service
Checked 25 October 2026
At least Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
With coverage throughout buildings (and outside where needed), central management, WPA3 or certificate-based authentication, and segregated guest access.
Source: DfE: Wireless network core standard
Checked 25 October 2026
1Gbps to desktops; 2×10Gbps hub-room uplinks
At least 1Gbps to user devices and at least 2×10Gbps from hub rooms to the core, with warranty and support for at least 5 years and core switches on a UPS.
Source: DfE: Network switching core standard
Checked 25 October 2026
Required under the funding agreement
The DfE cyber security standard says “colleges must hold [Cyber Essentials] under their funding agreement.”
Source: DfE: Cyber security core standard
Checked 25 October 2026
Within 14 days
The same standard asks for DfE security instructions to be applied within 5 working days, 3-2-1 backups tested termly, multi-factor authentication for cloud, remote and admin access, and firewall rules reviewed termly.
Source: DfE: Cyber security core standard
Checked 25 October 2026
At least once every academic year
KCSIE 2026 (in force from 1 September 2026), paragraph 173.
Source: Keeping children safe in education 2026 (DfE)
Checked 25 October 2026
1 September 2026
Statutory guidance that colleges, 16–19 academies, special post-16 institutions and independent training providers must have regard to.
Source: Keeping children safe in education 2026 (DfE)
Checked 25 October 2026
Income 80%, research income 10%, student FTE 10%
A sector-agreed model, weighted against sector totals. FE colleges in England pay according to their DfE core funding; colleges in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland pay no subscription.
Source: Jisc: How Jisc membership works
Checked 25 October 2026
1 June 2025
Wired and Wi-Fi network equipment and services, included in FE and HE membership. We couldn’t see its end date.
Source: Jisc: Network solutions framework
Checked 25 October 2026
17 July 2027
For most lots; lots 1c and 1d end on 22 May 2027. The Crown Commercial Service became the Government Commercial Agency (GCA) on 1 April 2026, and GCA says existing contracts and call-offs remain valid.
Source: GCA: Network Services 3 (RM6116) · GCA: Crown Commercial Service
Checked 25 October 2026
Up to £350m over six years
Awarded to BT by NHS National Services Scotland on 23 October 2023, covering 6,000+ sites and 94 public sector organisations.
Source: SWAN: NSS awards £350million SWAN contract to BT
Checked 25 October 2026
1 August 2024
The Commission for Tertiary Education and Research took over from HEFCW, which was dissolved on 31 July 2024.
Source: Medr: What we do
Checked 25 October 2026
100 Mbps per 1,000 users
Adopted by the US Federal Communications Commission in 2014 for US schools. It is not a UK standard and was not written for colleges or universities; we show it only as a comparison.
Source: US FCC: Summary of the E-rate Modernization Order
Checked 25 October 2026
1 Gbps per 1,000 users
The FCC’s longer-term target for US schools. Not a UK standard; shown only as a comparison.
Source: US FCC: Summary of the E-rate Modernization Order
Checked 25 October 2026