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UK’s Slowest Internet Speeds: Is Your Town on the List?
Experiencing frustratingly slow internet speeds at home? New research examining UK’s internet speeds across the 100 most populated towns and cities reveals that location may be a significant factor. The study pinpoints areas with the poorest connectivity, indicating that your broadband provider isn’t always to blame for a lagging connection. Discover where your town ranks in terms of internet speed.
Broadband Blackspots: The Towns with the Slowest Internet
Data compiled by cybersecurity firm FLR Spectron indicates that the Welsh town of Wrexham has the slowest broadband speeds in the UK, with a median average download speed of just 33Mbps. This is less than half the national average of 73Mbps.
The Top 10 Slowest Locations:
- Wrexham: 33Mbps
- Luton: 36Mbps
- York: 44Mbps
- Winchester: 49Mbps
- Eastbourne: 50Mbps
- Chichester
- Canterbury
- Hastings
- Havant
- Aberdeen
FLR Spectron illustrates the impact of these slow speeds: “Downloading the Netflix movie *Adolescence* in 4K resolution would take the average Wrexham user 5 hours and 22 minutes. In contrast, a resident in the fastest area, Horsham, could download the same film in just 30 minutes.”
Horsham Leads the Pack: Fastest Internet Speeds in the UK
The West Sussex town of Horsham boasts the fastest average internet speed at 352Mbps, more than ten times faster than Wrexham’s speed.
Top 3 Fastest Locations:
- Horsham: 352Mbps
- Hull: 160Mbps
- Southampton: 142Mbps
It’s important to note that Hull, despite being the second fastest area, still has speeds 192Mbps slower than Horsham. Southampton ranks third with 142Mbps.
Popular Broadband Providers in Slow Speed Areas
Examining the popular broadband providers reveals that Plusnet, owned by BT, is favored by most of Wrexham’s residents. In Luton, York, and Winchester, Virgin Media, BT, and TalkTalk are the predominant providers, respectively.
While Virgin Media is prevalent in Luton, the study indicates that 85% of the top 20 fastest locations are primarily served by Virgin Media.
BT’s Presence in Slow Internet Areas:
- The study indicates that BT delivers service to 14 (70%) of the 20 slowest locations.
Future Improvements: The PSTN Switch-Off
There is hope for improvement on the horizon. FLR Spectron anticipates a boost in internet reliability across the UK by 2027. This is largely due to the phasing out of the traditional copper wire-based Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) as the nation transitions to exclusively fiber optic connections. This upgrade promises significantly improved internet speed and reliability for consumers.
Transitioning Before 2027:
The firm advises businesses and households still using PSTN to make the switch before the 2027 deadline. The PSTN is an aging technology that is becoming costly to maintain, potentially leading to service disruptions for its users in the coming years.