In the UK, the average download speed is reportedly 110.99 Mbps, trailing behind Western Europe, where the average speed is 138.47 Mbps, marking a difference of 27.48 Mbps. A year ago, this gap was slightly narrower at 25.06 Mbps.
This analysis draws on conclusions from 1.5 billion speed tests conducted across 220 countries and territories in the 12 months leading up to June. These statistics were compiled by M-Lab, a collaborative data initiative involving Google and the Code for Science and Society (CS&S).
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“The UK has lost some ground this past year against other Western European nations and has, on average, slower broadband than the European average,” said telecoms analyst, Dan Howdle. The difference can be attributed partly to the pace at which full fiber is being rolled out in the UK, which continues to progress but seems to lag behind some European counterparts in this regard, explained Howdle.
The UK now stands in 35th position overall, slipping one position from the previous year but remaining securely within the top half of the rankings. Moreover, it’s worth noting that nine out of the top 10 positions are occupied by Western European countries and territories. The predominance of small size and high population density in these countries notably impacts the difficulties and costs involved in deploying FTTP (Fiber to the Premises) infrastructure.
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However, when compared to similarly sized European economies, the UK’s performance isn’t significantly stronger. It surpasses Italy (72.45 Mbps) and Germany (87.77 Mbps) in average download speeds but falls behind Spain (148.63 Mbps) and France (176.97 Mbps). Meanwhile, the Netherlands leads by a considerable margin with speeds reaching 188.49 Mbps.
According to Cable.co.uk, the speeds listed in its league table do not solely reflect the availability of the fastest services. Other factors such as adoption rates and pricing also influence a country’s ranking. Howdle suggested that the gradual decline in the UK’s European ranking could be attributed to customers opting for slower speeds or possibly the more effective marketing of full-fiber deals by the UK’s European counterparts.
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