Survey finds average UK broadband speed to be 3.2 Mbps
June 3, 2008 - A new survey by Thinkbroadband.com has found that the average download speed UK broadband users can receive is 3.2 Mbps, with rural users faring worse in the findings.
The survey, conducted over the last two months in 6,000 locations across the UK, found that the average speed in London was 4.5 Mbps, while in Scotland the average figure was 2.9 Mbps, in Wales the average speed was 2.6 Mbps and in Northern Ireland it was 2.3 Mbps. In contradiction to recent findings from Ofcom, the regulator for the communication industries, which reported that the geographical digital divide has been closed, Thinkbroadband.com found that users living in towns and cities had a better chance of receiving higher speed services compared to rural dwellers.
"This survey shows us rural Britain may have a higher proportion of broadband homes but those homes are getting a slower service," said Andrew Ferguson, Editor of the the site. "It's a combination of telephone line length and the lack of access to cable and other options for BT's rivals."
BT estimates that over 99% of UK homes can receive broadband, but the general industry consensus however is that not all will be able to receive speeds sufficient for services such as streaming Internet video, which are standard fare in other nations with more advanced networks in place, such as Korea.
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