UK Broadband Speed Report: April 2026
What 285 real speed tests run in the UK between 1 April 2026 and 30 April 2026 tell us about home broadband speeds.
By the BroadbandSpeedTest.uk.com team · Generated automatically from our test data · Methodology
Median download
134Mbps
−58.7%vs March
Median upload
41Mbps
−56.4%vs March
Median ping
41ms
+17.8%vs March
Tests
285
1,195 in March
Key findings
- Median download fell 58.7% to 134 Mbps, from 325 Mbps in March 2026.
- Median upload fell 56.4% to 41 Mbps, from 93 Mbps in March 2026.
- Median ping rose 17.8% to 41 ms, from 35 ms in March 2026.
- Virgin Media had the fastest median download of the 6 providers with at least 10 tests: 446 Mbps across 35 tests.
- 34.7% of tests reached 300 Mbps or more, while 14.7% were below 30 Mbps.
- Tests run in the evening peak (7pm–11pm) had a median download of 145 Mbps, 10.7% higher than the rest of the day (131 Mbps).
- Among the 3 towns and cities with at least 10 tests, Rochdale recorded the fastest median download (478 Mbps) and Newcastle the slowest (44 Mbps).
The fall from March reflects a change in who was testing rather than UK broadband getting slower: March was our launch month, when many tests came from enthusiasts on very fast full-fibre lines.
Fastest broadband providers
Ranked by median download speed. Providers need at least 10 tests in April 2026 to be included.
| # | Provider | Median download | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virgin Media | 446 Mbps | 35 |
| 2 | BT Broadband | 120 Mbps | 87 |
| 3 | Vodafone | 78 Mbps | 29 |
| 4 | Sky Broadband | 70 Mbps | 37 |
| 5 | TalkTalk | 66 Mbps | 14 |
| 6 | Three | 62 Mbps | 24 |
See all-time standings on the ISP rankings.
How fast were the tests?
Share of tests by download speed
- 300 Mbps or more (full-fibre class)34.7%
- 30–300 Mbps50.5%
- Below 30 Mbps14.7%
March: 52.1% at 300+ Mbps, 6.9% below 30 Mbps.
Evening peak vs rest of day
Median download, UK time. Peak is 7pm–11pm.
Differences can reflect who tests at each time of day as well as network congestion. Why broadband slows at night
Fastest and slowest towns
Towns and cities with at least 10 tests in April 2026, by median download. Locations come from IP geolocation and are approximate.
About this data
Figures are medians of browser-based speed tests run on BroadbandSpeedTest.uk.com from UK IP addresses during the calendar month (UK time). Tests from data centres, VPNs, corporate networks and undetected providers are excluded. Results include Wi-Fi and home-network effects, and people who choose to run a speed test are not a random sample of UK households.
For context, Ofcom's Connected Nations 2025 report puts full-fibre availability at 78% of UK homes, gigabit-capable coverage at 87% and the average maximum download speed at 285 Mbps — figures for what lines can deliver, not measured speeds like these. Read our full methodology.
Cite this report
BroadbandSpeedTest.uk.com (2026). UK Broadband Speed Report: April 2026. Dot Com Ventures. Based on 285 speed tests, 1 April 2026 to 30 April 2026. Available at: https://broadbandspeedtest.uk.com/reports/2026-04
Journalists and researchers are welcome to quote these figures with a link to this page. For other data requests, contact us.