As the UK government invests heavily in the development of artificial intelligence, fiber infrastructure

 is becoming a key bottleneck hindering the UK's AI ambitions. A joint survey by Neos Networks and 

Censuswide revealed that 82% of data center operators have been forced to delay site construction 

or expansion due to fiber availability issues, and 89% of local governments confirmed that their 

infrastructure projects have been hindered by fiber shortages.

This discrepancy highlights a structural problem facing the UK's fiber network: while the "last mile"

 access network for ordinary consumers is overbuilt, the "middle mile" backbone network required 

to connect data centers is severely underdeveloped.

Aging Backbone Networks Constrain AI Development

Lee Myall, CEO of Neos Networks, noted that while land, energy, and water resources are often 

discussed as potential constraints to data center construction, digital infrastructure is often taken

 for granted. The survey found that nearly half of local government stakeholders and businesses 

believe that the UK's fiber infrastructure is not fully prepared to support AI data centers.

"The UK's fiber backbone is approximately 20 to 25 years old," Myall explained. "The fiber routes 

Laid decades ago were designed for the early internet, streaming, and the first wave of cloud services, 

not for the ultra-low latency, high bandwidth, and resiliency that AI now demands."

As data center locations shift toward transportation and energy hubs (50%) and rural areas (47%), 

they are increasingly moving away from network-rich urban clusters. Myall said this means "connectivity

 is increasingly likely to be a factor with longer lead times than in the past," with only energy supply 

currently being the only link that takes longer than fiber connections.