Our use of cookies 
Broadband Speed Test
Simply click ‘Play’ below to discover the download speed, upload speed, ping, and jitter of your broadband connection.
How does a broadband speed test work?
A broadband speed test uses sample data packets to upload and download. These tests send “pings” to the UK servers and use these to measure the speed at which the data transfers to and from your device.
What is a “ping”?
A ping is the time it takes to transfer data from your device to a server and back again.
Pings are measured in milliseconds (one-thousandth of a second).
What is a good ping speed for the internet?
A good ping would be between 50-100 milliseconds. A poor level is 150+ milliseconds, and an above-average ping is over 20-49 milliseconds.
How is broadband speed measured?
Broadband speed is measured in Kbps and Mbps.
- Kbps is kilobits per second.
- Mbps is megabits per second.
The higher the number, the quicker you can upload and download files. There are two factors to your broadband speed checks: upload and download speed.
Upload speed is how quickly your device’s information is transferred onto the internet or another server. For a business, an example is when you want to upload a video to your website. The upload speed of the broadband connection will determine how long it will take for you to transfer the video data from your device to your website host.
Download speed is the speed of information being transferred from the internet to your device. It’s the opposite process of uploading. Superfast download speed in your home will allow you to manage CRMs, studios, VoIP phone systems and any other tech that relies on an internet connection to run quickly and smoothly.
What should I do if my broadband speed is slow?
If your broadband speed is slow, there are a couple of solutions. Firstly, if you only have a few connected devices, you should go directly to your business broadband provider and discuss.
Any standard broadband connection will keep up with two devices. If it’s considerably lower than the speed promised on your deal, you are more than in the right to question this and get someone out to investigate.
If it’s a case that it’s just slightly slower than expected, you can look at a few options to increase your broadband speed. Let’s explore the solutions below.
Why should I be testing my broadband speed?
Here’s why you should test your current broadband provider with the our broadband speed test:
- See if the broadband speed drops at any point of the day, including peak hours.
- Check you’re getting the broadband speed you signed up for.
- Hold your provider accountable if they are underperforming. Broadband is expensive, so there’s no excuse for poor service.
*Some providers will use “Throttling” in peak hours. Throttling is where a broadband provider will reduce the speed in certain areas at peak times to manage the load. Speed testing lets you see if your provider is slowing your connection with throttling.
If you are struggling with your current broadband speeds, it may be worth looking to upgrade your broadband to a faster connection. Find a better deal today with our business broadband comparison service.
Why are broadband speeds important for businesses?
Having a fast broadband connection is arguably even more important for businesses. Suffering from a slow connection can be a serious drag on productivity.
It’s so important that we’ve produced a specific guide on what broadband speeds you need for different business activities.
For more information, check out our complete guide to business broadband providers and our specific advice on small business broadband.
Broadband Speeds
Broadband speeds and what they mean.
Is 100Mbps fast?
Yes, 100Mbps is considered fast for internet speeds. As mentioned above, megabits per second (Mbps) measure the amount of data transmitted over a network in a given time.
With a 100Mbps connection, you could download a 2GB movie in less than 4 minutes and upload a 1GB file in less than 8 minutes. It’s a good speed for properties with multiple devices and people using the internet simultaneously.
Keep in mind that actual internet speeds may vary depending on factors such as network congestion, the quality of your equipment, and the number of users connected to the network.
What is 1000Mbps of internet speed?
Known as “Gigabit internet” or “Gig-speed internet”. Essentially, it has a download speed of 1 gigabit per second (Gbps). It’s significantly faster than most standard broadband internet speeds, which typically range from around 20 Mbps to 100 Mbps.
Gigabit internet allows for high-speed download and upload speeds, making it ideal for streaming high-definition video, online gaming, and large file transfers.
How can I improve my broadband speed?
Here are a few tips on how you can improve your broadband speed in and around your home or premises.
Use a wired connection
If you generally use a device in one room, it might be worth connecting directly to the wall rather than the wireless connection.
This is perfect for enhancing the speed of static devices like desktops, or even for laptops that are generally used at a specific desk. It will give faster speeds than a wireless connection.
Find the best position for your router.
If you’re using wi-fi to connect to your device – you will need to ensure your router is in the best place to allow for the strongest connection possible. Put it somewhere central, where you’ll get the best coverage.
Next to a window is usually a terrible idea, and so is next to the TV and other devices that will interfere with the signal.
The best place to put your router is somewhere central on the property and preferably up high. That way, it will have a strong connection throughout and be less susceptible to interference from other appliances.
Check out our full article on business broadband routers.
Use a wi-fi boost
If your wi-fi range is pretty dire, then using a wi-fi booster will help you solve the issue of weak signals in different areas of your property.
The lowest cost boosters are around £25, and they will essentially patch up any wi-fi dead zones but won’t increase the speed of the connection.
HomePlug adapters are another option that plugs directly into the mains and helps to transfer the connection around your premises. The lowest cost plugs come at around £35, stretching to the more expensive end at £200.
Finally, you can use mesh network devices; these can cost upwards of £129, being that of the Google Wifi enhancer.
This router communicates wirelessly, unlike the HomePlug and will help to create additional signals throughout the building to improve efficiency and speed. Mesh Network Devices provide a sustainable, reliable connection.
What affects broadband speed?
There are plenty of factors that affect broadband speed. Here, we will investigate a few of the factors that contribute to your broadband speed.
It’s not just the overall speed package you purchase from your broadband provider that matters; these additional factors will contribute to faster or slower internet speed.
The number of connections to broadband
The speed of your broadband will be affected by the number of devices connected at one time. The broadband speed offered by your connection is effectively divided between the devices using that connection.
The time of day
Yep, this does matter. It affects your download speed, especially between six pm and eleven pm. More people are streaming and downloading during this peak period than in other off-peak times (i.e. 1 am).
Distance from the exchange
This is only for ADSL users. The distance from the ADSL exchange will affect the speed of broadband. If this affects you a lot – it will be worth exploring Fibreoptic broadband.
It will be more expensive but far better in speed and reliability.
The weather
Extreme weather conditions can adversely affect internet speed and connection. It can cause a lot of issues and be a considerable burden on day-to-day broadband connectivity.
Quality of cables/modem
The higher the quality of cables and modems, the better. If you have older modems, it can limit your broadband speed and severely hinder upload and download speed.
It’s always worth asking for or upgrading to the latest modem and cables—the newer the devices, the faster the speed.
The Authors of this page
This page was written and reviewed by our energy experts Tom Melhuish and Ben Brading.
For more on our editorial process, please click here.