Guardian says UK mobile internet speeds are improving

Guardian says UK mobile internet speeds are improving

The average speed of internet connection in the UK has increased, according to an in-depth study carried out by The Guardian newspaper.

The research found that the average speed for an internet connection in the UK is now 2.6 Mbps, up from 1.5Mbps two years ago. When it comes to mobile phone web connections, speeds have also increased - now totalling an average of 2.6Mbps – with Vodafone and Three delivering the fastest connections.

The researchers found that mobile phone internet connections are now, at their best, as good or better than WiFi connections at home. However, some users are still complaining that patchy connections in certain regions are causing them to regret investing in the latest smartphones, like the iPhone 5.

Some of the slowest connection speeds are experienced during rush hours in urban areas and throughout the day in rural areas. Other users complained of a lack of reliable coverage on motorways in the South East of England.

The research was carried out to mark the introduction of EE’s new 4G service. The Guardian found that the service averages speeds of 15 Mbps. 3G services aren’t doing bad either, though, with just a 0.14 Mbps disparity between the slowest and fastest services. This suggests that the various providers are keeping pace with each other.

The Guardian explained that people can now rely on their mobile connections to watch online video through their smartphones, It stated, ‘All networks comfortably run at above 2 Mbps, the minimum to watch on-demand TV from sites like the BBC's iPlayer.

‘For the first time, they are fast enough to qualify as true broadband, according to the definition used by the telecoms watchdog Ofcom.’

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