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What is a broadband Speed Test?
Broadband speed test is one of our free services that allows you to test your internet connection speed in seconds. The result will be sent to your inbox after the test to let you know if you are getting the speed you signed up for.
You can make use of our broadband speed test for any connection you are using. Which can be:
- ADSL
- Cable
- Fibre-optic
- Mobile
How Does a Broadband Speed Test Work?
Our broadband speed test works by sending the signal to a test server which goes back to your device. Our internet speed check then measures the time it takes your device to respond. The server also sends your device packets of test data and measures how quickly this is transferred.
Measuring upload speed is the same thing in reverse, with data being sent back to the test server. This is done several times to test your connection’s capacity and to make sure you get the most accurate reading. You will notice that your upload and download speeds are measured in Megabits per second (Mbps).
What Does Broadband Speed Test Measures?
A broadband speed test measures the speed at which information is exchanged between your device and a test server through your internet connection.
Two different speeds are checked using our speed checker
- Download Speed: How quickly data is transferred to your device from the internet.
- Upload Speed: This means how fast data is transferred to the internet from your device.
These speeds are measured in Mbps(megabit per second) the higher your Mbps, the faster your internet speed. For explanation, 1Mbps is equivalent to 1,000 kilobytes per second (kbps) and 1,000Mbps is equivalent to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps). Running a broadband speed test helps you discover if you are getting the right broadband speed as advertised by your provider.
Why Should I Test My Broadband Speed?
Checking your internet speed from time to time is advisable. It ensures you are getting the internet speed promised by your provider. Regularly conducting speed tests helps you keep track of how your speed and internet usage change over time and ensures your current broadband plan is suitable for you and your family. Also, broadband tends to upgrade from time to time, so it is important to be sure you are getting the fastest speed for your money.
To use our broadband speed tool, you have nothing to worry about as our broadband speed is;
- Suitable for all broadband connection types. You can make use of our speed tool no matter the type of connection you are using. Whether, it’s fibre broadband, ADSL, cable or full-fibre broadband.
- Provides accurate information. Our speed tool is known to provide the actual speed you are getting and if it’s the best value for money.
What does my Speed Test result mean?
0.5Mbps: With a regular speed, it is suitable for audio streaming, email, and basic web browsing
Why is my Broadband Speed slower than expected?
Broadband can be slower if it isn’t the expected speed advertised by your provider. This can occur as advertised speed doesn’t take into consideration factors like; the number of devices connected to your internet, or the number of people in your household and other factors like congestion( the number of internet users in your area), your location and your household internet usage pattern.
How can I improve my Broadband Speed?
If your broadband seems to lagging or not offering the right speed you signed up for.
- Keep your router from electronic devices
Some appliances or devices like Halogen lights, microwaves, TV and baby monitors, dimmer switches and even fairy lights could interfere with your router’s performance. Keep your router away from both wired and wireless electronic devices to ensure you’re always receiving the best signal.
- Make use of Wired Connection
If wireless broadband is unable to cater for your internet needs, opt for wired broadband. By using an ethernet cable, you can directly connect your device to the internet, which will offer you a more reliable and faster speed. While it may not be the best option to tether your connection, it could be the best option to resolve the issue.
- Change your broadband Connection type
For individuals using ADSL or FTTC (fibre-to-the-cabinet) connection, then upgrading your connection could improve your broadband speed. For illustration, Ofcom’s report in 2021 proved that ADSL only offers an average speed of 10Mbps while FTTC offers a faster speed of 42.6Mbps. But FTTP even offers a faster speed of 145Mbps which is the fastest among the three.
Why Does My Speed Vary?
Your internet speed can vary due to various reasons even while conducting your speed test.
These reasons are;
- Wifi Interferences: If you are using a wifi, interference from your Wifi or other wifi, devices or objects could affect your internet speed. You may want to keep note of some of the objects that can affect your internet speed. Which includes; appliances, electronic devices or even your home walls all these can interfere with your speed.
- Network Congestion: The speed of your internet usage can be influenced by network congestion. During peak hours, when a lot of people are using the internet simultaneously, your connection could slow down due to increased traffic on the network.
- Issue with your internet provider: Your service provider could be experiencing some technical issues or downtime which can also influence your internet speed.
- Type of Connection: Your type of connection could be ADSL, cable, fibre, or fibre optic can also affect your speed test as different connection offers different speed ranges.
- Internet Plan: Your internet plan could have varying speeds depending on the package you subscribe to. Sometimes, service providers offer different tiers of service with varying speed limits.
How Fast Should My Broadband Speed Be?
There is no one shoe size fits all when it comes to how fast your internet speed should be, you just have to consider which internet speed aligns with your internet needs depending on your activities.
- For light users: Those who majorly use the internet for browsing the web, checking email or streaming for short hours, then a broadband speed of 10 Mbps (megabit per second) will be sufficient to get the work done.
- Streaming Videos: If you regularly stream videos either standard or higher definition or 4k videos. With standard and HD videos you may not require a fast speed compared to UHD/4K videos. A broadband speed of 30-50 Mbps will give you a smooth video experience and smooth playback without buffering.
- Online Gaming: Online gaming requires a faster speed for a stable gaming connection. For a smooth gaming experience, a speed of 100Mbps will make your gaming enjoyable. For gaming, latency is more important than raw speed (latency is how long it takes for your internet connection to respond after a request; that is a responsive internet connection)
- Multiple Users or Devices: For households with multiple users and devices, this means there are various activities each individuals engage in with the internet. Therefore, you may want to opt for a higher internet speed that can accommodate everyone’s internet activities
After recognizing the activities you majorly use your internet for, you should consider the speed available to your area this will help you know if your activity speed is obtainable. Then consider the providers that can offer you the speed you want. This is important because some providers offer higher speed than others look out for the providers that meet your needs, and compare the packages they offer to avoid paying for more than you need.
How can I get an Accurate Speed Test Result?
When conducting your Broadband Speed test, to get an accurate speed result, follow these step-by-step tips:
- Use a Reliable Speed Test Website: The most important step to carrying out a successful speed test is using websites provided by trusted sources such as Fast. com by Netflix, Ookla’s Speedtest. net, Cloudflare Speedtest or Network Speedtest. By using a reliable speed test, you can be assured of not getting a compromised result and getting the right speed.
- Choose the Right Server: When conducting a speed test, choose the location close to your actual geographical location. While this is usually automatically picked by the speed test website you are using, it’s advisable to manually pick and test with different servers to compare. This helps reduce latency and provides you with a more accurate result.
- Seize all downloads and Close all Applications: Ensure no downloads are going on any of your devices, Therefore, close down all applications, software or programs going on, this includes both background apps and important apps, especially the ones that use the internet. However, for a better precaution, you could turn off all your devices and disconnect them totally from the internet. Doing so will help you achieve an accurate speed result.
- Connect via Ethernet: While you are conducting your speed test through Wi-Fi connections, you should also consider conducting a speed test through the ethernet. Through the ethernet means connecting your device directly to your router using the ethernet cable instead of a wifi. This process reduces any interference or signal issues that usually affect Wifi speeds.
- Test at different times: Internet speed experiences peak and off-peak hours. The peak hours are when the highest number of users are online which causes internet fluctuation as a result of network congestion. While the off-peak hours is a period that offers a faster and more stable network speed. Therefore, it’s best to conduct the speed test at different times of day to get a better understanding of your speed variation and know your peak and off-peak hours.
How does Distance affect Internet Speed?
Distance can affect internet speed due to various reasons;
- Type of Broadband Connection: Your broadband speed can be significantly affected by your home’s distance from the nearest telephone exchange, depending on your broadband connection. If you’re using a standard copper ADSL broadband service, an ADSL broadband relies on copper wires, and the farther the signal has to travel, the weaker it becomes, resulting in slower speeds. While fibre-optic broadband is not usually affected by its location due to its method of delivery, however, it still makes use of copper wire for the final journey to your home which potentially affects your speed. But with a full fibre or ‘fibre-to-the-premises’ (FTTP) service, which uses fibre-optic cables for the entire journey, broadband speed is not affected by distance from the exchange.
- Wireless Transmission: In wireless connections like wifi or mobile broadband, the distance from the router or the cell tower affects your device and can affect your signal strength. Long distance between the connection and your device leads to a weaker signal resulting in slower speed, dropped or fluctuating connectivity.
- Latency: The farther the data command has to travel, the longer it takes to get a response, this is called latency. This delay happens when a user takes an action on a web application and when they get a response. Situations like this are more noticeable during online gaming or video calls. Longer distances lead to higher latency making your internet activities feel sluggish.
Which Provider offers the Fastest Speed?
To device the fastest provider, this depends on factors like your location. Your location will determine which provider will be available to you.
The fastest providers are providers that offer Full fibre (FTTP) broadband connection. For most homes, Virgin Media is known to offer the fastest broadband speed in the UK due to its extensive ultrafast broadband connection. Virgin Media now offers a gigabit connection which is one of the fastest speeds you can come across. However, other providers offer the fastest speed but are not as popular in most homes as Virgin Media. This includes; Hyperoptic and Gigaclear.
Hyperoptic is also known for providing a full-fibre connection with a speed of up to 1Gbps (1,000 Mbps) to both homes and businesses in certain urban areas. While Gigaclear offers ultrafast connection of up to 1Gbps to rural areas in the UK.
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How can i improve the accuracy of broadband speed test?
To get the most accurate result from your broadband, consider the following steps;
- Stay in close proximity to your router.
- Avoid downloading anything in the background on other devices connected to the same network.
- Make sure all wires and cables are securely connected.
- Ensure there are no obstructions between your router and the device you are using for the test. This could be a smartphone or any other object.
- Turn off any devices or appliances that can interrupt your WiFi. Such as a baby monitor, freezer, microwave or any other appliances that could be an interference.
- If you are testing for a mobile network, make sure to remain on standby throughout the speed test.
What affects my broadband speed test accuracy?
Running your speed test multiple times can make you discover that your speed test varies. This can happen because various factors can affect your broadband speed. This includes;
- Current Downloads: If you are downloading any data through your connection, this could be consuming brandwidth which is likely to slow down your speed.
Intensive programs: By running intensive software, using your internet connection, this could be using your internet connection and slowing it down. - Network Coverage: If you are testing a mobile connection, your speed could fluctuate depending on the location especially if you are on the move. To get the best speed accuracy, it’s best to remain in a particular location.
- Your Router Set-up: The placement of your router could also affect your internet speed. If your router is placed far away from your connecting devices, with a lot of obstructions, your connection is likely to be slower as it is hard for the router signal to reach your devices.
- Time of the Day: The time of the day could also reflect on your internet speed. During peak hours, the internet speed is likely to drop for everyone usually between the hours of 6-10 pm and your speed test could be inaccurate if carried out during this period.
Sky Broadband
£45.90/month
Unlimited minutes
12 months of 500 GB data
12 months
Contract length
£30.9 upfront cost
250 mbps Total Cost
Unlimited Text
Sky Broadband
£45.90/month
Unlimited minutes
12 months of 500 GB data
12 months
Contract length
£30.9 upfront cost
250 mbps Total Cost
Unlimited Text
Sky Broadband
Offer ends 30th Jan. 2023
£45.90/month
Unlimited minutes
12 months of 500 GB data
12 months
Contract length
£30.9 upfront cost
250 mbps Total Cost
Unlimited Text
Sky Broadband
Offer ends 30th Jan. 2023
£45.90/month
Unlimited minutes
12 months of 500 GB data
12 months
Contract length
£30.9 upfront cost
250 mbps Total Cost
Unlimited Text
Sky Broadband
£45.90/month
Unlimited minutes
12 months of 500 GB data
12 months
Contract length
£30.9 upfront cost
250 mbps Total Cost
Unlimited Text
Sky Broadband
£45.90/month
Unlimited minutes
12 months of 500 GB data
12 months
Contract length
£30.9 upfront cost
250 mbps Total Cost
Unlimited Text
Sky Broadband
Offer ends 30th Jan. 2023
£45.90/month
Unlimited minutes
12 months of 500 GB data
12 months
Contract length
£30.9 upfront cost
250 mbps Total Cost
Unlimited Text
Sky Broadband
Offer ends 30th Jan. 2023
£45.90/month
Unlimited minutes
12 months of 500 GB data
12 months
Contract length
£30.9 upfront cost
250 mbps Total Cost
Unlimited Text
