NEWS
A new study published by comparison website Uswitch has revealed the shocking disparity of broadband speed experienced in some cities.
Topping the list is the Scottish city of Glasgow where the highest average download speed is 840.4Mbps, 866 times faster than in the slowest region which fails to even reach the level required by UK Government’s universal service obligation (USO) as an acceptable broadband speed.
The fastest speed in Glasgow was recorded in the deprived district of Milton, whilst four miles away the slowest was in posh Bearsden, which regularly hits the headlines for having some of the highest house prices in the city, perhaps at odds with perception that the digital divide is perpetuated by poor connectivity in less affluent areas.
At the other end of the spectrum, Bradford had the smallest disparity between fast and slow broadband with a gap of just 129Mbps between its fastest and slowest areas.
Ten cities with the widest broadband disparity
The research shows the broadband gap between UK households is widening as many customers upgrade to faster services. Across the UK 7% of broadband customers now get average ultrafast speeds of over 300 Mbps, but in Glasgow for example, more than a third of addresses (37%) in the slowest area did not have access to a superfast package.
Ernest Doku, broadband expert at Uswitch.com, says: “While the average UK broadband speed is increasing year on year, not everyone is benefiting. We are seeing a large and growing gap between customers benefiting from ultrafast speeds and those who are getting the bare minimum.”
Why not join Total Telecom for Connected North in Manchester on the 17-18 April 2023 to understand more about the connectivity landscape for the region.