New data from Broadband Genie reveals which broadband providers are delivering the slowest speeds in the UK, with millions of households still failing to reach the government's legal minimum threshold of 10Mbps for downloads and 1Mbps for uploads. The analysis, based on over 144,067 consumer speed tests, highlights that mobile broadband services are particularly prone to underperformance.
Mobile Broadband Providers at the Bottom
Vodafone's Mobile Broadband product ranked worst overall, with 38.6% of customers failing to achieve download speeds of 10Mbps. Three Mobile followed closely, with 28.8% of tests below the threshold, while EE's Mobile Home Broadband saw 25.8% of customers falling short. These figures underscore the challenges of relying on mobile networks for home internet, especially in areas with weak signal coverage.
Fixed Line Failures: EE, Plusnet, TalkTalk and BT
Among fixed line services, EE performed the worst, with 24.3% of customers failing to reach 10Mbps download speeds and 21% not meeting the 1Mbps upload threshold. Plusnet and TalkTalk also struggled, with 20.5% and 20.6% of tests below 10Mbps respectively. BT, one of the UK's largest providers, saw 15.1% of its customers falling short of the minimum. Sky performed better, with only 9.7% of tests below 10Mbps, while smaller providers like IDNet (12.0%) and Airband (9.7%) also showed mixed results.
Alternative Networks Lead the Way
In contrast, smaller alternative network providers (altnets) dominated the top of the rankings. Zzoomm, Hey! Broadband, Onestream, toob and Squirrel all recorded less than 2% of customers with speeds below 10Mbps, demonstrating that high-performance broadband is achievable even outside the major incumbents.
Expert Reaction and Consumer Advice
Alex Tofts, Strategist at Broadband Genie, commented: "It's unbelievable so many customers aren't receiving what the government deems a 'decent' broadband speed. This is a low bar for providers to clear, but somehow they're still failing customers." He advised consumers experiencing persistently slow speeds to report the issue to their provider. If the provider cannot resolve the problem and is signed up to Ofcom's Speed Code of Practice, customers have the right to leave their contract penalty-free.
Full Results: Percentage of Tests Below 10Mbps
- Vodafone Mobile Broadband: 38.6%
- Three Home Broadband: 28.8%
- EE Mobile Home Broadband: 25.8%
- EE: 24.3%
- Plusnet: 20.5%
- TalkTalk: 20.6%
- BT: 15.1%
- Sky: 9.7%
- IDNet: 12.0%
- Airband: 9.7%
The findings highlight a stark divide between major providers and smaller altnets, with many customers still struggling to access reliable, fast broadband in 2026.
