Canterbury has been named the UK's worst area for broadband speeds, according to a new report from Broadband Genie. The analysis of over 149,000 real user speed tests found that residents in the cathedral city experience average download speeds of just 22Mbps, well below the national average. At this rate, downloading a full HD movie would take over ten minutes.
Ripon in North Yorkshire came second with an average speed of 28Mbps, followed by Perth in Perthshire (37Mbps) and Norwich in Norfolk (38Mbps). The report highlights a stark contrast with the fastest areas, led by Lichfield in Staffordshire, where average speeds exceed 350Mbps—allowing a full HD movie download in around one minute.
Other top-performing locations include Newry in County Armagh and County Down (138Mbps) and Ely in Cambridgeshire (118Mbps). Broadband Genie strategist Alex Tofts urged customers not to accept sub-par service, especially amid price rises. He advised using speed tests to monitor performance and contacting providers if speeds fall short of guaranteed minimums.
Tofts also noted that factors like poor home wiring or faulty routers can affect speeds, and encouraged out-of-contract customers to compare deals for potentially faster and cheaper services. The UK aims to connect around 30 million homes to gigabit broadband by 2030.
