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To run the uSwitch broadband speed test you need to have Flash player version 10 (or newer) installed. You can download Flash here

Unfortunately Flash is not compatible with iPad or iPhone, so (if on either) please consider using a different device to perform a test (e.g. a laptop, Mac or PC).

iPad and iPhone users can still see their local area on Broadband StreetStats (which does not require Flash) or can download our 3G speed test app on iTunes

Speedtest FAQs

• About this speed test

  About this speed test

  The uSwitch Broadband Speed Test is a free-to-use speed testing service that analyses your broadband speed in seconds. It can measure speeds on every type of broadband connection whether ADSL, cable / fibre-optic or mobile broadband (3G).

  Please be aware that the speed we measure is only a guide and should not be seen as a definitive encapsulation of your broadband connection’s overall performance.

  Factors that may affect the accuracy of your broadband speed measurement include:

  • Wireless routers – by its very nature, wireless broadband data needs to travel through the air via technology such as ‘IEEE 802.11’. Thick walled buildings and the physical distance from the router may affect your broadband speed. To that end, fixed line equivalents on the same broadband provider in the same building may be faster.

  • Network coverage – with 3G connections, being on the move can affect the quality and smoothness of your broadband connection. 3G mobile broadband is best-measured at a computer that is static (i.e. at home rather than in a car, bus or train)

  • Broadband network congestion / time of speed test – many broadband providers (especially those on ADSL networks) suffer from congestion at the busiest times (e.g. 8pm to 10pm). Speeds can suffer at these times and vary at others depending on the amount of users that are online and using their broadband connections.

• How to get accurate results

  How to get accurate results

  To get the best possible broadband speed test result, we advise the following:

  • make sure you are not downloading anything on your PC / laptop

  • shut down any software that uses the internet (e.g. web radio, RSS news feeds or TV services)

  • shut down any other computers on your wireless or fixed line network

  • ensure all broadband cables are properly attached

  • with wireless routers (if applicable) make sure you are as close to your wireless router as possible - ideally less than 10 metres away. Make sure there are no big objects between you and your wireless router. Electronic devices such as microwaves, wireless doorbells, baby monitors, bug zappers and even electric blankets can affect the signal strength, so switch them all off

  • if you are testing mobile broadband on the move (e.g. with a 3G dongle or laptop / netbook with 3G built in), make sure you are stationary and have a signal. The test will be compromised if you go out of range of 3G coverage while the test is in progress

• How does the speed test work?

  How does the speed test work?

  When you start the speed test above, the tool tests your broadband speed by downloading and uploading "packets" of data sent to our UK servers via "pings".

  The speed at which these packets get sent and get received allows us to assess your broadband speed.

  You can read more about how our speed test works in our 'technical specifications' FAQ below.

• Why am I so slow?

  Why am I so slow?

  If you have cross-checked everything in the previous ‘How to Get Accurate Results’ section and your broadband speed still seems slow, do a final check of your broadband software, all cables and modems.

  If nothing seems to be wrong at a computer level and your broadband speed is still not satisfactory, call your broadband provider for advice. There may be a fault on your line or there may be a temporary fault with your provider's service.

  If they cannot help you resolve your slow broadband issue, it may be time to switch provider!

• Who is the fastest ISP?

  Who is the fastest ISP?

  In the run-up to the uSwitch Tech Broadband Awards 2011, customer surveys discerned that O2, Virgin Media and Sky offered the UK’s fastest broadband.

  Broadband speeds offered by all broadband providers change month on month, so keep an eye on our speed test graphs, trends and stats for the latest information!

• How accurate is StreetStats?

  How accurate is StreetStats?

  We have developed StreetStats to be the most helpful speed test mapping tool of its kind. While we are confident in our technology, with so much data on our maps it’s possible you might uncover the odd strange result.

  All the data you see on StreetStats has been generated by our users running speed tests on uSwitch Broadband over the last 60 days. We have lots of older data, but we think it’s most relevant to show you only recent data. Although the data we collect and show is as accurate as it can be, it is still possible you’ll see a few strange results on the maps.

  If you’ve done a speed test on our site you will have noticed that we ask you to enter your postcode and to choose your provider – we’re working on a way to auto-detect these details, however in the meantime it is possible for people to enter different postcodes and providers than they’re actually using.

  That means it is possible for ‘fake’ results to appear in StreetStats at the moment – so if you do see strange results (e.g. someone on a 25Mbps download connection in a rural area that’s not enabled for cable networks), it’s sensible to ignore them. We are doing our best to discover those results and remove them, but if you spot anything peculiar, please let us know!

  We are working on a range of new features to improve StreetStats. In the meantime, we are confident that the vast majority of results you see are accurate.

• Technical specifications

  Technical specifications

  Technical specifications of download test

  Our speed test downloads packets of data over an HTTP connection and times how long the transfers take, in order to work out a download speed in Mbps.

  Initially a small file is downloaded in order to calculate the approximate speed of the connection. Based on this result, the speed test chooses a larger file to perform the main download test.

  For example, on slow connections the speed test might choose a payload of 2Mbps, but on a faster connection it may choose a payload of 10Mbps. This enables the speed test to accurately measure all types of connections, from slow ADSL to very fast cable connections.

  Additionally, the test simultaneously requests multiple files to download at once. This causes the user's bandwidth to be saturated, providing an accurate picture of their download speed capacity.

  Technical specifications of upload test

  Our speed test submits packets of data over an HTTP POST connection and times how long the transfers take, in order to work out an upload speed in Mbps.

  The test submits multiple packets at the same time. This causes the user's bandwidth to be saturated, providing an accurate picture of their upload speed capacity.

  What is the speed test’s capacity?

  The speed test has been built to test broadband download speeds of up to 100Mbps.