UK download speeds slow by 35 per cent at peak times

UK BROADBAND download speeds are 35 per cent slower at peak times, according to Uswitch data.

According to the price comparison web site's study, based on two million speed tests across the UK, maximum headline broadband speeds offered by internet service providers (ISPs) are available only between 2am and 3am.

Meanwhile, at peak surfing time between 7pm to 9pm, average download speeds fell by a third to 6.2Mbits/s, making these hours the slowest time of the day.

The difference in broadband speeds during peak and off-peak times is even greater at the regional level, Uswitch said. Unlucky internet users in the market town of Evesham, Worcestershire, are seeing a 69 per cent drop in broadband speeds, with average morning download speeds of 15.5Mbits/s falling to 4.9Mbits/s in the evening.

In Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset, the average broadband download speed fell by almost two-thirds -64 per cent - between off-peak morning and peak evening usage times, from 9.5Mbits/s to 3.4Mbits/s.

Uswitch's Ernest Doku, said, "This research may help to shed some light on why many bewildered consumers, who believe they've signed up to a certain broadband speed, never actually feel like their connection is fast enough. The problem of slower broadband speeds has been exacerbated by changes in the way people use the internet, with far more people downloading music and watching TV programmes online, inevitably putting more strain on the network."

He added, "It is important to remember that the fastest headline speeds are not guaranteed and home broadband users should perform an online broadband speed test to check that they are getting the best possible package for their area. If you feel the service you're receiving is not up to scratch, you shouldn't be afraid to shop around for a better deal."

Meanwhile, results generated by a tool created by the Max Planck Institute in Germany claimed that the UK is one of the worst places in Europe for throttling broadband speeds.

A story at the New York Times (registration required) reports that slowing was detected on 74 per cent of tests done on BT's British regional network. Tests found throttling more than 50 per cent of the time for NTL, Opal Telecom, Telewest Broadband, Carphone Warehouse's Broadband Service, Tiscali and Pipex. µ