Broadband speed test

Your device downloads and uploads small chunks of data to our UK test servers (London, Coventry and Newcastle), repeating the transfer several times to work out your most stable download and upload speeds, along with the round-trip time (ping) and its variation (jitter).

Small differences are normal — network traffic changes minute to minute, so back-to-back tests rarely match exactly. Wildly different results usually point to something local: Wi-Fi interference, other devices using the connection, or background apps. Run through the accuracy tips above and test again. If results stay erratic, contact your provider — they can run line checks from their end.

Advertised speeds are the average received by 50% of a provider's customers at peak time — not a guarantee. Your actual speed depends on distance from the street cabinet, wiring in your home, your router, and how many people share the local network. When you sign up, providers must give you a personal minimum speed estimate — if you consistently receive less, you may have the right to exit your contract penalty-free.

Less than you might think. Casual browsing and email are comfortable on the slowest packages; HD streaming needs around 5–10 Mbps per screen; 4K streaming around 25 Mbps. Larger households with several simultaneous streams, gamers downloading big titles, and home workers moving large files benefit most from full-fibre speeds of 100 Mbps and up.

Whenever you send data rather than receive it: video calls, uploading to social media or YouTube, cloud backups and working from home. Providers historically prioritised download over upload, but full-fibre packages increasingly offer much faster — sometimes symmetrical — upload speeds.

The technology matters most: older ADSL connections slow down with distance from the exchange, cable connections can dip at peak times as the local network is shared, and full fibre is the fastest and most consistent. Inside the home, old wiring, an outdated router and Wi-Fi dead spots are the usual suspects. Some providers also manage traffic at the busiest hours, which can slow heavy users temporarily.