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This test examines the latency (milliseconds), download and upload speed of your broadband connection in Megabits per second (estimated). Please try our Availability Checker to see which major networks are available in your area.
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 Speedtest
Please take note that this test can cope with both current and next generation Gigabit broadband speeds (up to around 1,000Mbps), although the dynamic nature of Internet connectivity means that the results may not always be 100% accurate. Tests conducted via WiFi may also produce a slower result, especially if others are using your network.

Powered by the thinkbroadband broadband speed test.
 Results - UK Home Broadband ISPs
These results only include independent ISPs with a wide national availability, which is primarily because smaller and often faster altnet providers (Gigaclear, B4RN, Hyperoptic etc.) aren't yet available to the majority of people and others didn't produce enough test data to be included.
NOTE: The top 10% result below represents the speeds experienced by the fastest 10% of customers at each ISP (usually those with the best connections / fastest packages).

Average Download Speeds (Mean)

No. Operator 2020 H1 (Top 10%) 2019 H2 (Top 10%) Change %
1. Virgin Media 93.8Mbps (207.1Mbps) 85.6Mbps (193.8Mbps) 9.58%
2. Zen Internet 42.7Mbps (73.9Mbps) 46.4Mbps (74.4Mbps) -7.97%
3. AAISP 42Mbps (72.8Mbps) no data n/a
4. Vodafone 38.6Mbps (68.2Mbps) 38.2Mbps (67.7Mbps) 1.05%
5. iDNET 38.1Mbps (70.6Mbps) 41.2Mbps (70.2Mbps) -7.52%
6. BT 37.9Mbps (68.8Mbps) 35.1Mbps (66.8Mbps) 7.98%
7. EE 26.5Mbps (57.5Mbps) 27.6Mbps (57.4Mbps) -3.99%
8. TalkTalk 25.1Mbps (52.4Mbps) 24.3Mbps (48.2Mbps) 3.29%
9. Sky Broadband (tied) 24.8Mbps (53.8Mbps) 25.4Mbps (54.4Mbps) -2.36%
10. Plusnet (tied) 24.8Mbps (52.6Mbps) 24.2Mbps (50.5Mbps) 2.48%

Average Upload Speeds (Mean)

No. Operator 2020 H1 2019 H2 Change %
1. Virgin Media 13Mbps 13.6Mbps -4.41%
2. Zen Internet 11.1Mbps 13Mbps -14.62%
3. AAISP 10.9Mbps no data n/a
4. Vodafone 10Mbps 10.6Mbps -5.66%
5. iDNET 9.3Mbps 10.8Mbps -13.89%
6. BT 8.9Mbps 8.7Mbps 2.3%
7. EE (tied) 6.2Mbps 6.7Mbps -7.46%
8. Sky Broadband (tied) 6.2Mbps 6.3Mbps -1.59%
9. TalkTalk 5.9Mbps 5.7Mbps 3.51%
10. Plusnet 5.8Mbps 5.7Mbps 1.75%

Overall the average download speed of the above national providers was 39.43Mbps (up from 38.66Mbps at the end of 2019) and the average upload speed hit 8.73Mbps (down from 9.01Mbps).

 Results - UK Alternative Network ISPs
These results cover "full fibre" (FTTP) alternative network (AltNet) providers that have built their own physically separate networks. Most AltNets only have small UK coverage and limited speedtest data, which means that at present we can only summarise a few. The majority of these can deliver significantly faster speeds than the major national ISPs.

As FTTP providers don't suffer from the same performance pitfalls as copper or hybrid fibre ISPs then we've decided to focus our results on only the top 10% of fastest connections, which in most cases will reflect those consumers who take the fastest package tiers available from each provider.

Average Download Speeds of Top 10%

ISP DL - Top 10% (2020 H1) DL - Top 10% (2019 H2)
Community Fibre (FTTP) 565.5Mbps 448.9Mbps
Vodafone Gigafast (FTTP Only) 517.5Mbps 321.6Mbps
Hyperoptic (FTTP) 311.8Mbps 284.9Mbps
Gigaclear (FTTP) 294.3Mbps 321.4Mbps
KCOM (FTTP Only) 213.3Mbps 272Mbps

 Results - UK Mobile Broadband Operators
These results reflect the four primary Mobile Broadband (3G and 4G) operators. Mobile services are subject to the daily movements and radically different hardware choices (Smartphones etc.) of their end-users, which makes it difficult to establish a reliable picture of performance.

Average Download Speeds

No. Operator 2020 H1 (Top 10%) 2019 H2 (Top 10%) Change
1. EE 32.4Mbps (69.7Mbps) 32.5Mbps (70.7Mbps) -0.31%
2. Vodafone 23.3Mbps (58.2Mbps) 26.5Mbps (60.7Mbps) -12.08%
3. Three UK 19.9Mbps (48.4Mbps) 18.6Mbps (43Mbps) 6.99%
4. O2 16.2Mbps (37.2Mbps) 16.9Mbps (38.4Mbps) -4.14%

Average Upload Speeds

No. Operator 2020 H1 (Top 10%) 2019 H2 (Top 10%) Change
1. EE 7.6Mbps (18Mbps) 7.6Mbps (17.9Mbps) 0%
2. Vodafone 5.6Mbps (14.3Mbps) 6.5Mbps (16.4Mbps) -13.85%
3. Three UK 5.1Mbps (14.3Mbps) 5.5Mbps (15.2Mbps) -7.27%
4. O2 4.2Mbps (10.7Mbps) 4.4Mbps (11.4Mbps) -4.55%

Overall the average download speed of the four primary mobile operators was 22.95Mbps (down from 23.62Mbps at the end of 2019) and the average upload speed hit 5.62Mbps (down from 6Mbps).

Disclaimer: Please take average (mean) speeds with a big pinch of salt. Every home is different and performance can be affected by all sorts of issues, many of which are beyond the provider's ability to control (e.g. tests conducted via slower smartphone vs faster desktop computers, slow wifi, poor home wiring etc.), thus we do not consider the above data to be a reliable barometer for individual user connectivity, but it can help to highlight general changes in the market.

NOTE: Data for H1 (first half of the year) is collected during the end of May, while data for H2 (second half of the year) is collected during the end of November.
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 Cheapest Superfast Broadband ISPs
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    Avg. Speed 36Mbps, Unlimited
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  • SSE £22.00
    Avg. Speed 35Mbps, Unlimited
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  • xln telecom £22.74 (*47.94)
    Avg. Speed 66Mbps, Unlimited
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  • TalkTalk £22.95 (*29.95)
    Avg. Speed 38Mbps, Unlimited
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Cheapest Superfast ISPs
  • Hyperoptic £19.95 (*22.00)
    Avg. Speed 50Mbps, Unlimited
    Gift: Promo Code: HYPER20
  • Plusnet £21.99 (*35.98)
    Avg. Speed 36Mbps, Unlimited
    Gift: £50 Reward Card
  • SSE £22.00
    Avg. Speed 35Mbps, Unlimited
    Gift: None
  • xln telecom £22.74 (*47.94)
    Avg. Speed 66Mbps, Unlimited
    Gift: None
  • TalkTalk £22.95 (*29.95)
    Avg. Speed 38Mbps, Unlimited
    Gift: None
Prices inc. Line Rental | View All
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