Average broadband speed in UK hit 12 Mbps

Residential fixed-line broadband hit an average speed of 12Mbps in November 2012, the most recent date for which figures are available.

This came as an increase of 34 per cent (3.1Mbps) in the six months from May to November, with take-up of ''superfast'' services increasing.

The speed trebled in more than three years from November 2008, when the average speed stood at 3.6 Mbps.

Average speeds continued to improve with more customers migrating to higher-speed packages. By November 2012, 77 per cent of fixed-line broadband users were on packages that advertised speeds of at least ''up to'' 10 Mbps, up from 58 per cent in November 2011.

The same period saw, the proportion of broadband connections classed as ''superfast'' - ie with an advertised speed of up to 30 Mbps increase from 5 per cent to 13 per cent.

According to Ed Richards, telecom regulator, Ofcom chief executive, the company's research showed that UK consumers were adopting faster broadband packages to cater for their increasing use of bandwidth-heavy services such as video streaming. He added, the increase in the average number of connected devices in UK homes was also driving the need for speed.

He added, internet providers were working to meet consumer demand through network upgrades and the launch of superfast packages, giving consumers faster speeds and greater choice.

Official figures showed that in the six months to November 2012, average speeds rose from 9 Mbits/sec to 12 Mbits/sec a 30 per cent jump.

At the heart of the increases was the move towards higher speed services on both ADSL and fibre. According to Ofcom, 77 per cent of UK fixed-line residential broadband users were on packages with advertised speeds above 'up to' 10Mbits/sec, up from 58 per cent a year earlier.

The average was also boosted by an increase in subscribers moving to superfast connections, which Ofcom defines as those with an advertised speed of 'up to' 30 Mbits/sec or faster. According to the regulator's research by November 2012, "13 per cent of residential broadband connections were superfast, more than doubling from 5% in November 2011".

Ofcom said, the fastest downloads were delivered through Virgin Media's up to 100 Mbits/sec service, which recorded average actual speeds of 92.6 Mbits/sec over a 24-hour period.

The average download speed on BT Infinity's up to 76 Mbit/sec fibre-to-the-home service was 63.3 Mbits/sec, as against Virgin Media's up to 60 Mbits/sec at 59.0 Mbits/sec.

BT's up to 38 Mbit/sec fibre-to-the-premises package saw speeds of 34.2 Mbits/sec that at Virgin Media's up to 30 Mbit/sec service saw average speeds of 28.7 Mbit/sec.