Broadband speed is measured in megabits per second (Mbit/s). Download speed is how fast things reach you: streaming, web pages, game downloads. Upload speed is how fast you send things, such as your side of a video call or a backup to the cloud, and it's usually much lower.
What the names mean
These are the names Ofcom uses when it reports on coverage.
| Name | Download speed |
|---|---|
| Decent | 10 Mbit/s (and 1 Mbit/s upload) |
| Superfast | 30 Mbit/s or more |
| Ultrafast | 300 Mbit/s or more |
| Gigabit | 1,000 Mbit/s or more |
Full fibre means a fibre-optic cable runs all the way to the building. Older "fibre" broadband runs fibre to the green cabinet in the street and copper phone line from there, and gets slower the further you are from the cabinet. Cable broadband from Virgin Media can reach gigabit speeds without full fibre.
How much of Great Britain can get each speed
Out of 31,601,102 homes and businesses:
- 98% can get superfast broadband.
- 88% can get gigabit broadband.
- 81% can get full fibre.
- 37,621 can't get decent broadband (10 Mbit/s) from a fixed line.
Source: Ofcom Connected Nations (fixed broadband coverage) Data from
"Can get" means the line is there, not that people have bought it. To see the speeds at your own postcode, use the broadband checker.
What streaming needs
Netflix recommends at least 5 Mbit/s for full HD (1080p) and 15 Mbit/s for 4K. Streams add up, so two people watching 4K at once need about 30 Mbit/s by Netflix's figures, before anyone else in the house goes online. Other streaming services publish their own figures in their help pages.
Speed decides how long a big download takes, too. A 50 GB game is 400,000 megabits, so at 30 Mbit/s it takes about 3 hours 40 minutes, and at 300 Mbit/s about 22 minutes (if the server sends it that fast).
Upload speed
Upload speed counts if you send large files from home or spend a lot of time on video calls. Packages list it separately from the download speed, so check both before you sign up.
If you can't get the speed you were sold
Providers that sign Ofcom's voluntary codes of practice on broadband speeds have to give you a minimum guaranteed download speed when you buy. If your speed falls below it and they can't fix it, you can leave the contract without paying a penalty.
If you can't get decent broadband at all, the broadband universal service gives you the right to ask for a better connection. BT handles requests, or KCOM in the Hull area.
Sources
- Ofcom: coverage and speeds (Connected Nations)
- Netflix Help Centre: internet connection speed recommendations
- Ofcom: customers' right to exit contracts for broadband services
- Ofcom: broadband universal service advice for customers
Wording checked . Rules change, so check the linked sources before you act.