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Switching to a better deal? We’ve got you covered. Follow these simple steps to find a package that suits your needs....
1: Enter your details
Add your address and we’ll instantly show you the deals available in your area.
2: Choose the deal for you
Filter your results by speed, price, provider and contract length to find the right deal.
3: Complete your switch
Follow the link to the broadband provider’s site and sign up. Thanks to One Touch Switch, there’s no need to tell your current provider you’re leaving.
Slow broadband can make web browsing, streaming, or online gaming a painful experience. If you're experiencing slow broadband and want to know how fast your home internet really is, our broadband speed test will tell you.
When you sign up to a broadband deal, your provider will commit to a certain speed. If you’re unhappy with the speeds you’re getting, you can run a quick test here to see if your provider is delivering the speeds you were promised when you started your contract.
Why should I take a broadband speed test?
Taking a few seconds to do a broadband speed test will give you an idea of how fast your broadband really is. It’ll vary, depending on the time of day and on what’s happening with your local network but if it’s nowhere close to the speeds you were promised by your provider when you signed up, it might be time to complain. You’ll get a much better idea of the true speeds on your home internet if you run the test a few times at different times of day.
The speed test lets you:
Check your provider is delivering the speeds agreed
Do multiple tests at different times of day to see if your speed is affected
Compare your existing broadband speeds with other providers
See if your current broadband speed matches the needs of your household.
How does the broadband speed check work?
Our broadband speed checker works by measuring the time it takes to transfer data between the device you’re using and a remote server, to calculate your upload and download speeds. It does this by establishing a connection and downloading, before uploading them back to the server.
We start off with a small file to get an approximate speed and then larger files to get a more accurate reading. After that, we’ll saturate your bandwidth with multiple files to download at the same time to accurately measure your connection’s capacity. Our test then reverses the process by sending the files back to the server to calculate your upload speeds.
We also test your connection’s ping/latency by sending a small request and measuring the time it takes to receive a reply from the server.
The whole test should take less than a minute to complete. All you need to do is hit “Start speed test” and wait a few seconds for the test to finish. Once you’ve got your results, you can then put in your postcode and current provider and see if there are faster deals available where you live.
How broadband speed is measured
Broadband speed is measured in megabits per second (Mbps). The higher number of bits you're able to download per second, the faster your connection will be.
There are two checks that can help you gauge how fast your current broadband is - download and upload speed:
Download speed
This is the speed at which information travels from the internet to your device.
Having a faster download speed should make your connection speedier and smoother, so you're not interrupted by buffering or lag when doing things such as watching TV or playing video games online.
Upload speed
The reverse of download speed, this is how fast information travels from your device to the internet.
It includes many day-to-day online activities, such as sending emails and posting photos/videos to social media.
If you're experiencing consistently low speeds, speak to your provider about different broadband packages.
Or if you're out of contract, you can always switch to a different provider that offers speeds more in line with what you're looking for.
How accurate are broadband speed tests?
Broadband speed checkers are usually pretty accurate, athough there are a few things you can do to get the most accurate results from your broadband speed test, including:
1
Avoid multiple connections where possible
Make sure you have no other devices or consoles connected to your Wi-Fi during a broadband speed test, as these can interfere with the connection and therefore the results.
2
Don’t have other tabs open
Close all other open tabs in your browser, as well as all other windows and/or apps currently open.
3
Use a wired connection
Wi-Fi is often the most unpredictable bit of your internet connectivity, so it can mess up the results of a broadband speed test. For maximum accuracy, connect the router using an ethernet cable rather than using the wifi.
4
Turn off security measures
This includes any antivirus software and also your firewall if possible, although make sure to switch them back on after the test is over.
5
Conduct multiple tests
Test your broadband speed at various times throughout the day to see whether it speeds up or slows down.
What's the UK's average broadband speed?
By March 2023 the median average download speed of UK home broadband connections was 69.4 Mbit/s, a 10.0 Mbit/s (17%) increase on the previous year, as people upgraded to faster services.
What affects broadband speed?
There are lots of things that can affect broadband speed, including:
Connection type
Currently, Full Fibre (also known as FTTP) is the fastest type of broadband connection you can have. If your connection uses an older type of fibre optic cables or the even older copper wiring, your speed will be comparatively less.
Distance from exchange
If your home is connected to the local exchange by copper wiring, the physical distance from the exchange will make a difference to your broadband speeds. With fibre-optic it doesn’t matter.
BT Openreach is busy upgrading the metal cable network to fibre optic at the moment. Work is happening fast, so it’s worth checking if your area has been done yet. Upgrading to fibre-optic could really boost your home broadband speed.
Number of users
The speed of your home internet service will depend on how many people are using it at the same time.
Whether you're a student or live in a busy family home, households with multiple users on desktops, laptops, mobiles and tablets often experience slower internet.
Time of day and weather conditions
> Broadband speeds can slow down during peak internet usage times, usually between 6 and 11 pm.
Rain, wind and extreme weather conditions can also all affect broadband speeds.
Quality of equipment
If your router is old or faulty, this could be another reason for slow broadband speeds or a patchy connection. After a few years routers can start to fail and might need replacing. So can the cabling attached to the router.
When you switch broadband providers, the new provider will almost always send you a new router for free. If your router is having age-related issues, take this as a sign that you’re overdue for a new broadband deal.
Security breaches
Viruses, adware and malware not only slow down your internet but also the device you're browsing with. They can also seriously compromise your online security.
Physical set-up
Your router could be unhappy in its current position. Keep it away from damp areas or heat sources. If the signal is strong in one room but not another, it’s definitely a wifi issue rather than a slow connection. So try a wireless extender to bounce the signal further.
Why does my speed vary?
There are a few possible reasons why your broadband speed changes at different times of day. The most likely culprits for a slow connection at specific times are:
- Traffic on your local network
- Heavy use in your household (like if someone you live with is on a video call or gaming)
If your broadband is consistently too slow at certain times of day, contact your broadband provider to ask what they can do about it.
Tips to speed up your internet connection
If your speed test returns results that are slower than the speeds your provider has advertised, you might be able to boost your broadband speed by trying the following:
Ask your provider for a new router
The equipment you’re using could be putting the brakes on broadband speeds, rather than the connection itself. If your router is a few years old, don’t be afraid to ask your provider for a new one.
Keep your router interference-free
To get the best out of your router, it’s a good idea to plug it into your home’s main phone socket, rather than using an extension. Keep it in as central a location as possible and elevate it if you can. Don’t keep it on the floor. Also keep it away from other equipment which emits wireless signals, such as baby monitors or cordless phones.
Use a wired connection
While going fully wireless is the dream, you’ll undoubtedly get faster internet access if you connect your device to the router using an ethernet cable, rather than relying on wifi. This isn’t always possible. But if your TV or laptop are fairly close to your router, this method should speed things up. It will also help you to see if the problem is with the wifi or the internet connection itself.
Boost broadband speed around the home
If you get good wifi speeds near your router but it’s patchy in rooms further away, there are ways of boosting your signal. Investing in adapters such as devolo’s Magic wifi range allows you to transmit a wifi signal from any plug socket in your home, with the data sent via your powerlines. This is a much more effective method than using traditional wifi boosters.
Will switching providers improve broadband speed?
Because of infrastructure improvements, the broadband speeds for most households are increasing all the time. If you’ve been on a contract for the past couple of years, it’s likely that switching providers will get you a faster connection. It might not cost more either; the price per Mbps has been falling as the tech improves.
The fibre optic rollout is happening fast, but many areas of the UK still have the old-style copper wiring, or a mix of the two. If that’s you, the fastest deals on offer might be “hybrid fibre”: a fibre optic connection to the box on your street but then copper for the final connection to your home. This will probably still be faster than what was available a couple of years ago. It’s always worth checking out your options.
Which broadband provider is fastest?
Broadband is getting faster all the time, so if you haven’t switched recently you can probably upgrade your speed. Right now the fastest deal on offer is a dizzying 7,000 Mbps with YouFibre Ultrafast Full Fibre Broadband.
Most people won’t actually need their connection to be that fast. There are also quite a few great deals around the 2,000 to 2,3000 Mbps mark - probably still more speed than you need.
Anything over 250 Mbps should be fast enough even for a household with multiple gamers, streamers and Skypers. There are dozens of products offering these speeds right now, so you have plenty of choice. The competitive market means you can compare on other factors like price and customer service but still get a really fast home connection.
Do I need to switch broadband?
When you come to the end of a fixed broadband contract, most providers will automatically shift you onto a new contract or simply a default rolling payment. This almost always means your bill will shoot up.
But you don’t have to keep overpaying. If your contract has ended, you’re free to switch to a cheaper deal anytime you like. And while you don’t have to switch, you’ll almost certainly be able to save money and get faster speeds if you do.
FAQs
How does distance affect internet speed?
Physical distance from the router can slow down your connection because Wi-Fi signals lose strength as they travel through the air. So, the further you are from the router, the weaker the signal, which can lead to sluggish broadband speeds.
This also increases the likelihood of obstructions. Physical objects like walls, doors and furniture can block Wi-Fi signals as they travel, which can weaken them, thereby making your connection slower.
What is ping?
Ping is the time in milliseconds (ms) that it takes for a data packet to travel from your computer to a server and back again. Sometimes referred to as latency, it’s essentially a way of measuring the speed of your connection.
The lower your ping, the faster and more responsive connection. A low latency or ping is crucial for many online activities, including online gaming and video calls, while a high ping can cause lag. If you’re struggling with a laggy connection, run a quick speed test to see if you’ve got a high ping.
Why is my mobile speed different from my computer speed?
The speeds you get from your mobile and computer might be different because:
- One has a better Wi-Fi antenna or chipset than the other
- There could be apps running in the background
- One device could be connected to a VPN
- One is closer to your router
- There’s better signal processing on your mobile or PC
- Your phone could be connected to 5G
Page last updated 12 December 2024
Reviewed by Catherine Hiley
Information on this page was reviewed by our fact-checkers before it was published. Learn more about our fact checking process and our editorial guidelines.
[1] Ofcom, UK Home Broadband Performance published September 2023