The average broadband speed delivered by cable services is now faster than that of fibre, according to the regulator Ofcom.
In the six months to May 2014, the average speed delivered by cable broadband reached 43.3 Mbps, overtaking the average speed for fibre connections for the first time (42 Mbps).
Commenting on the findings Tom Mockridge, Virgin Media’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “We’re delighted to be officially rated the UK’s fastest broadband provider six years in a row. When it comes to making the most of our increasingly connected lives, speed matters. Virgin Media continues to invest in bringing superfast broadband to Britain at home, at work and on the go.”
Despite the headline speeds of superfast broadband, the actual speeds being received by the UK consumer remains far lower than what’s seen on the posters.
Between November 2013 and May 2014 the average actual UK broadband speed increased by 5% to 18.7 Mbps.
Take-up increased from 24% to 28% of connections, while average superfast speeds remained stable at 47 Mbps.
The extent to which speeds were maintained during peak evening times varied significantly between broadband packages, ranging from 76% to 96% of maximum speeds.
Virgin Media’s ‘up to’ 152 Mbps cable service, which launched in February 2014, achieved the fastest download speed over a 24 hour period, averaging 141.9 Mbps.
This was followed by BT’s ‘up to’ 76 Mbps fibre package, which delivered an average download speed of 62 Mbps.
