A new Ofcom study has found that average broadband speeds in the UK are on the up, enjoying a 10 per cent rise since the end of 2010.
Their study found that average broadband speeds around the UK registered 6.8Mbit/s in May 2011 compared to the leisurely 6.2Mbit/s recorded in November/December last year.
Nearly half (47 per cent) of UK residential broadband users are now zipping around the Internet on speedy packages over 10Mbit/s – up 5 per cent since late 2010 – although Ofcom found that the gap between advertised speeds and what customers actually get continues to grow.
That said, some providers were found to be providing a better service than others, especially for those lucky buggers on super-speedy, fibre optically-delivered broadband.
The study found that the average speed on Virgin Media’s 30Mbit/s service was actually higher than advertised at 31Mbit/s, while its 50Mbit/s service only fell slightly short at 48Mbit/s (these are the kind of speeds we can only dream of!) .
Less impressively, BT’s Infinity service could only muster average speeds of 34Mbit/s, substantially down on their advertised 40Mbit/s.
Here’s Ofcom’s findings in full, contrasted with the network provider’s advertised speeds:
“Up to” 8Mbit/s
BT
Over 24 hours: 4.0 to 4.3Mbit/s
8am to 10pm: 3.4 to 4.0Mbit/s
Plusnet
Over 24 hours: 3.7 to 4.3Mbit/s
8am to 10pm: 3.2 to 4.0Mbit/s
“Up to” 10Mbit/s
Virgin Media
Over 24 hours: 9.3 to 9.6Mbit/s
8am to 10pm: 9.0 to 9.5Mbit/s
“Up to” 20Mbit/s
BT
Over 24 hours: 7.3 to 8.9Mbit/s
8am to 10pm: 7.3 to 9.1Mbit/s
Orange
Over 24 hours: 6.0 to 8.2Mbit/s
8am to 10pm: 6.6 to 7.6Mbit/s
Plusnet
Over 24 hours: 6.7 to 8.9Mbit/s
8am to 10pm: 6.6 to 8.4Mbit/s
Sky
Over 24 hours: 7.1 to 8.0Mbit/s
8am to 10pm: 7.2 to 8.1Mbit/s
Virgin Media
Over 24 hours: 17.6 to 18.7Mbit/s
8am to 10pm: 16.4 to 18.1Mbit/s
“Up to” 20/24Mbit/s
O2/Be
Over 24 hours: 9.6 to 11.7Mbit/s
8am to 10pm: 10.0 to 11.5Mbit/s
“Up to” 24Mbit/s
Karoo
Over 24 hours: 5.6 to 7.9Mbit/s
8am to 10pm: 5.5 to 7.3Mbit/s
TalkTalk
Over 24 hours: 7.7 to 8.6Mbit/s
8am to 10pm: 7.0 to 8.5Mbit/s
“Up to” 30Mbit/s
Virgin Media
Over 24 hours: 30.7 to 31.3Mbit/s
8am to 10pm: 30.1 to 30.9Mbit/s
“Up to” 40Mbit/s
BT
Over 24 hours: 33.1 to 34.9Mbit/s
8am to 10pm: 32.3 to 34.1Mbit/s
“Up to” 50Mbit/s
Virgin Media
Over 24 hours: 47.7 to 49.0Mbit/s
8am to 10pm: 46.3 to 48.4Mbit/s
Map it
Ofcom has also published an interactive map of the UK, showing which areas have the best broadband coverage and which the worst. You can find it at maps.ofcom.org.uk/broadband
[Via]
