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nPerf Speed Test / Press release 12/02/2024

Barometer of fixed Internet connections in the United Kingdom

01/01/2023 – 31/12/2023

The subscribers of Virgin Media, Fibrus and Vodafone enjoyed the best broadband performances in the United Kingdom during 2023.

The nPerf score takes into account the measured speeds and the latency. The value of the points for the rates and the latency is calculated on a logarithmic scale, to better represent the perception of the user.

All tests in this study come from nPerf’s free Internet speed test in the United Kingdom.

A Three-Way Tie: Fibrus, Virgin Media, and Vodafone

Fibrus, Virgin Media, and Vodafone share the top spot, each demonstrating exceptional strengths in different areas.

In our comprehensive analysis spanning from January 1st to December 31st, 2023, Virgin Media (284 Mb/s) has been identified as providing the fastest fixed download speeds in the United Kingdom.

Download speed: Indicates the amount of data your connection can receive in one second from the nPerf server. The highest the measured value, the best is the speed of your connection.

Excellent Speed: download speeds greater than 25 Mb/s are classified as excellent, enabling activities such as 4K video streaming.

International comparison: the average fixed download speed in the United Kingdom (195 Mb/s) exceeded that of countries like Sweden (148 Mb/s), Germany (113 Mb/s) or Austria (106.5 Mb/s).

The subscribers of Sky enjoyed the best average broadband latency (22 ms) in 2023.

The latency describes how responsive your connection is. Lower latency translates to more immediate interaction with content. Latency is measured in milliseconds (ms). 

0-30 ms is considered excellent, allowing real-time interaction.

Vodafone (97 Mb/s)and Fibrus (95 Mb/s) have offered the fastest upload speed.  

Upload speed: Indicates the amount of data your connection can send in one second to the nPerf server. The highest the measured value, the best is the speed of your connection.

Upload speeds greater than 10 Mb/s are classified as excellent, enabling subscribers to easily upload HD videos to the Internet.

FTTH

The subscribers of BT/EE/Plusnet, Vodafone and Virgin Media enjoyed the best broadband performances in the United Kingdom during 2023 on FTTH.

Best FTTH Download speed: Virgin Media (585 Mb/s).

Conclusion

This unique scenario in the UK fixed broadband market, with a threeway tie for the top position, underscores the competitive nature of the industry. FibrusVirgin Media, and Vodafone each bring distinct advantages to the table, catering to diverse user needs. Whether it’s Virgin Media’s superior download speeds, Fibrus’s balanced approach, or Vodafone’s upload prowess, consumers have excellent options at their disposal.

As ISPs continue to innovate and improve, the ultimate winners are the users, who benefit from enhanced connectivity and service quality.

The study employs a strong filtering method to reflect real customer experiences on a specific network (mobile or fixed line). Measures are taken to prevent probes and measurement robots from affecting the results.

The nPerf study is based on thousands of tests carried out exclusively by the operators’ end-customers, making it one of the largest “crowdsourced” studies in the country. These tests reflect the real experience of the general public in the United Kingdom on the various Internet networks. 

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