We've checked the line at your address and you should expect to receive this download speed. Though it can vary depending on factors such as the time of day or your Wi-Fi signal (if you use Wi-Fi).
Broadband speeds can still vary hugely these days, from the basic with average speeds around 11Mb, to superfast fibre or even next-generation Fibre to the premises (FTTP) also known as ultrafast full fibre broadband with max speeds of 1,000Mb.
The quicker the speed the more you pay, so think carefully before taking the plunge. But if you've the need for speed - let's say if you do loads of streaming or downloading, or lots of you use the web at the same time in your home - it's worth knowing which providers offer the fastest connections and how to get it cheapest. See our Fibre To The Premises guide for more info.
What's the fastest broadband speed I can get?
Essentially there are four main categories, with the difference being the type of connection used and the speeds each are capable of:
- Basic speed - with max speeds of 17Mb.
- Fibre - top speeds of 38Mb or 52Mb.
- Fast fibre - max speeds of 76Mb.
- Superfast fibre - usually with top speeds of 1,000Mb.
The top speed you'll be able to get will depend on where you live and what connection there is to your home. See our Speed Boost guide to see what speed you're currently getting.
To see which speeds you can get in your area and what it costs, compare broadband, phone and TV packages
Our broadband comparison will speedily find you the cheapest deals you can get where you live
Which providers offer the fastest speeds?
A handful of providers offer the next-generation ultra-fast speeds with max speeds of 1GB - that's a whopping 1,000Mb. There are also very small providers that only operate in certain areas, so availability is extremely limited. We don't list these in our tool, but we do include bigger providers such as BT, Sky, TalkTalk, Vodafone and small provider Hyperoptic.
Virgin Media offers the fastest more widely available ultra-fast fibre-optic - its fastest package runs at top speeds of 1,000Mb, but the majority of homes still cannot get this. See our Fibre to the Premises guide for more info.
Will I actually get these speeds?
It's important to understand that these advertised speeds are based on the average speed received by at least 50% of a provider's current customer base between 8pm and 10pm - when most people are online.
However, you should still only use it as an indication of the speeds you may get. If you want to know the speed you're most likely to get to your home, the best way is to check before committing to a contract.
The closer you live to your local exchange - the hub through which broadband is delivered to homes in that area - the better your speed is likely to be, though you may need to look up where your exchange is as it may not be that obvious.
Most major providers adhere to Ofcom's voluntary code of practice, which means you will be shown a personalised speed estimate and a minimum guaranteed speed before you sign up - based on the speeds of other customers with a similar connection.
So if your speeds drop below this minimum for three consecutive days, you can ask your provider to check for a fault - and get it fixed.
If it remains unresolved for 30 days, you should be able to exit your contract penalty-free.
Do you REALLY need faster speeds?
While a lightning-quick package may sound tempting, it'll come at a premium, so make sure you really need the extra speed.
If you're a heavy user - so if you do lots of streaming, online gaming or downloading, or have multiple users in your home - you may find it's well worth it, as doing lots at the same time slows you down.
Yet ultrafast fibre is very much a luxury for most, so weigh up if you really need it. If you just use the web for basic tasks such as emails and the odd bit of browsing, then standard broadband should be fine.
To see which speeds you can get in your area and what it costs, compare broadband, phone and TV packages
Our broadband comparison will speedily compare the market for deals you can get.