Broadband speed test

Download speed indicates the time it takes for data to be received by your device. Examples of this include loading web pages, receiving emails, and streaming films and TV.

Upload speed indicates the time it takes for data to be sent from your device to a receiving server. Examples of this include saving photos and videos to cloud storage, sharing content on social media, sending emails, making video calls, and online gaming inputs.

Typically, we see broadband connections with asymmetrical speeds, this means the bandwidth allotted for downloads is much greater than for uploads, so uploads are generally slower. However, some new full fibre connections offer symmetrical upload speeds, where the upload speed is as fast as the headline download speed.

Broadband speed is always given in Mb, Mbps, or Megabits per second. This is the amount of data in megabits sent or received each second. Broadband speed can also be given in Gb, Gbps or Gigabits per second, where 1Gb is the same as 1000Mb.

There are also other factors which affect broadband speed and how you experience the speed of your internet connection.

One of these is latency, also known as ping, which is the time it takes for a data packet to be sent or received from your device to its destination. While download and upload speeds determine how much data can be sent or received at a time, latency is how long it takes for that data to be transferred, so it can play an important part in how we experience the speed of our connection.

Latency is generally around 5 to 30 milliseconds on average, and is most noticeable for people who game online or use VoIP, video calling or watch live streams.

Since late 2017, broadband providers must advertise an average speed that is received by at least 50% of their customers during the peak network hours of 8pm to 10pm.

So, headline average speeds are a lot more accurate than they used to be, but they are still only averages and not always an exact guarantee of what you'll receive.

It could also be the case that internal wiring in your home, or your wireless network, is affecting the speed your device receives, which is why, when troubleshooting it's usually recommended to test the speed of your broadband by connecting your device directly to your router by an Ethernet LAN cable.

This helps to rule out problems or interference with the wireless network, while making sure your router is connected to your main phone or fibre socket will rule out problems with any internal wiring in your home to additional sockets.

Many broadband providers also give new customers a minimum guaranteed download speed, and if your broadband speed at the router is falling below this then you may be able to exit your contract without penalty.

The speed given in the broadband speed test above should be reasonably close to the speed advertised when you signed up, as this was an average speed at least 50% of customers should receive.

However, if you're testing the speed of your broadband connection over a wireless network, the speed could be reduced by interference or distance from your router.

10Mbps is good enough for light internet use including emailing and browsing the web for one to two users at a time.

The average download speed in the UK is 69.4Mbps according to Ofcom, however, even 30Mbps is plenty for most households, allowing for streaming TV as well as connecting multiple devices.

The more people that are sharing the connection at the same time will increase the demand on the available bandwidth, and that's where even faster broadband speeds will become beneficial.

Larger households where multiple people are going online at the same time, especially where they're carrying out bandwidth-heavy activities like streaming, online gaming, or working from home, will benefit from broadband speeds of 100Mbps and above.

Homes with a lot of smart devices may also need a faster internet connection, as many of these devices will be downloading content from the internet and adding to the demand for bandwidth.

Read more about what broadband speed you need.

Aside from switching providers to a faster broadband deal, it's also possible to improve your broadband speed by making a few simple changes at home.

Upgrading the router, or taking out a WiFi guarantee add-on, can improve the wireless speeds around the home, as well as extending the network coverage, which will help if your broadband is fast at the router, but slow when you're connecting over the wireless.

Updating device software as well as re-positioning the router and checking for any signal disruptors are also low cost ways to help speed up your broadband.

If you're unhappy with the speed of your broadband after carrying out a speed test, it may be worth looking at faster broadband deals available in your area that you could switch to.

The fastest broadband in the UK is now over 2Gbps, and offered by an increasing number of providers, including major providers like Virgin Media and Vodafone.

Over 85% of UK homes can also now access gigabit broadband, with average download speeds of 900Mbps over full fibre or cable connections with Virgin Media's Gig1.

To see what's available in your area use our free broadband tool and sort by broadband speed.

Choose has been covering the broadband market for over 20 years and we have a range of comprehensive and thorough guides to everything you need to know about broadband.

We've cover topics including:

• What do broadband speeds mean?;
• Minimum guaranteed download speeds;
• How to improve broadband speeds;
• What broadband speed do I need?;
• The fastest broadband in your area;

... and much more.

You can search all of our content for the information you need, or browse our archive of broadband guides here.

While we cover many of the UK's rules and regulations on broadband speeds in the guides above, Ofcom also offers guides on broadband speeds, which readers may also find useful.