Ofcom report reveals discrepancy in Broadband speeds

Another new year, another Ofcom report detailing news what ought not be news to anyone who has signed up for broadband services over the last couple of years. This slightly Tuesday Follows Monday tract from the world’s biggest quango tells us that the average downstream broadband speeds enjoyed by UK customers is nowhere near the advertised maximum.

The survey finds that the typical British broadband downstream speed available on a copper wire connection (ADSL) hovers around the 3.6Mbps mark, less than half the speed of the advertised maximum 8Mbps speed which is available from pretty much every ISP out there.

On average, the top speed achieved rounds down to 4.3Mbps, and one in five homes have to put up with speeds lower than 2Mbps. Customers who have ponied up the dough for faster speeds available on ADSL2+ connections can expect on average to receive speeds of 9.4Mbps. The report concludes that on average, punters get 45 per cent of the advertised speed.

Despite the report essentially telling us what we already know, it’s worth noting that the data was harvested from 1,500 homes made use of more accurate speed reporting measures than have been deployed in previous tests, making this the most comprehensive low down on broadband speeds in the UK to date.

The report is part of a big by Ofcom to encourage ISPs to adopt an ‘at least’ instead of an ‘up to’ approach to advertising speeds, or to at least sell their services on the strength of the expected average speed.

Share This: