- Canterbury takes the title of the UK’s slowest city for broadband for the second year in a row, according to Broadband Genie’s Slickest Cities index
- Lichfield tops the list as the UK’s fastest city, boasting a weighted broadband speed of 359Mb
- London ranks a disappointing 38th, with residents experiencing average broadband speeds of just 57Mb
- The study analyzed over 149,000 home speed tests across 71 cities
- Broadband Genie encourages households to check their internet speeds and to lodge complaints if their service falls short of the guaranteed speeds for their location
Canterbury has once again been named the UK’s slowest city for broadband in Broadband Genie’s annual ‘Slickest Cities’ report.
The historic city recorded broadband speeds of just 22Mb, roughly the minimum offered by basic superfast packages. Despite its status as one of the UK’s most expensive cities to live in, Canterbury lacks access to Virgin Media and nearly a third (30%) of its premises are without full fibre broadband.
Following a year of sluggish broadband speeds, the two slowest cities remain unchanged from 2023. Ripon in North Yorkshire ranks as the UK’s second-slowest city, with broadband speeds of 28Mb, failing to meet the basic fibre package standard. However, there is hope for Ripon as CityFibre is connecting thousands of premises to full fibre broadband, and Zzoomm, an alternative network provider, is planning to expand in the area.
Top 5 slowest cities in the UK for broadband speed
The findings are drawn from over 149,000 real user speed tests, capturing both download and upload speeds to provide an accurate reflection of what customers experience daily. These tests were conducted on both fixed and mobile connections, using the BroadbandUK speed test solution through Broadband Genie and its partners.
Currently, full fibre broadband is available to 68% of the UK, with the Government aiming to reach 85% by 2025. However, adoption rates are hindered by factors such as cost, misleading advertising language, and website information that leads people to believe they are getting fibre-optic when they are not.
On the opposite end of the speed spectrum, Lichfield in Staffordshire leads the way with a weighted broadband speed of 359Mb, more than 16 times faster than Canterbury. To put this into perspective, downloading the sci-fi adventure ‘Dune: Part Two’ would take nearly an hour in Canterbury, while in Lichfield, it would be done in just three and a half minutes.
Top 5 slickest cities for broadband speed
Among the UK capitals, Edinburgh holds the top spot for broadband speeds, ranking 12th overall. Previously held by Belfast, now in 15th place, the Scottish capital achieved weighted broadband speeds of 78Mb—slightly ahead of Belfast’s 76Mb, and significantly faster than London (57Mb) and Cardiff (50Mb), by 26% and 36% respectively.
Alex Tofts, Strategist at Broadband Genie, comments: “No broadband customer should accept a sub-par service, least of all in a year when customers are putting up with hefty price rises.
“Most of Britain’s biggest providers sign up to Ofcom’s Broadband Speeds Code of Practice. This means they have to be clear about the speeds you should expect at your address, including a guaranteed minimum they must keep above.
“Speed tests are a useful tool for regularly monitoring the performance you are receiving. If they are falling short of what has been promised, contact your provider and raise the issue.
“It’s worth bearing in mind that poor broadband speeds can also be influenced by factors outside your provider’s control, so make sure you check these first. Poor home wiring or a poorly positioned or a faulty router could be dragging your Wi-Fi down.
“Residents in the slowest towns and cities may also be suffering unnecessarily, with faster speeds available in their area if they switch. If you are out of contract and looking to upgrade your broadband, do a quick comparison online to see the best deals on offer. You may even end up paying less for a better and faster service.”
