What broadband speed should I be getting?
What you should get depends on your connection type. Full fibre (FTTP) and cable deliver the highest speeds; part-fibre (FTTC) is middling and drops with distance; old copper (ADSL) is slowest. The most reliable benchmark, though, is your own plan’s advertised speed — if you’re consistently getting well below it, that’s worth investigating.
Last updated: · Written by The NetSorted team
“What speed should I be getting?” has two answers: what’s typical for your connection type, and — more usefully — what your own plan promises. Start with your plan, and use connection type as a sanity check.
Your plan’s advertised speed is the real benchmark
Your contract or order confirmation states an advertised or estimated speed. That’s the figure to hold your provider to. Run our broadband speed test on a wired connection with other devices idle, and compare. If you’re consistently getting well below it, that’s the basis for raising a fault.
Typical speeds by connection type
These are rough real-world ranges to set expectations. We’re verifying the exact figures against official sources, so treat them as a guide, not a guarantee.
| Connection type | What it is | Typical download |
|---|---|---|
| Full fibre (FTTP) | Fibre all the way to your home | Highest — often 100–1000+ Mbps |
| Cable (Virgin/DOCSIS) | Coaxial cable | High download, lower upload |
| Part fibre (FTTC/VDSL) | Fibre to the cabinet, copper to you | Middling; drops with distance |
| Old copper (ADSL) | Copper phone line | Slowest mainstream option |
| 4G/5G home broadband | Over the mobile network | Varies a lot with signal |
Not sure which you have? Your provider or your contract will say, and the speed test lets you pick your type for a tailored verdict.
How much speed do you actually need?
Higher isn’t automatically better — past what your household uses at its busiest, extra speed makes little day-to-day difference. Work out your real need with what broadband speed do I need?.
If you’re not getting what you should
- Re-test wired, with other devices idle, a few times.
- Restart your router properly.
- Check for a wider outage.
- If you’re still well below your plan’s speed, report a fault and keep dated evidence.
See why is my internet so slow? for the full troubleshooting order.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good broadband speed?
For most households, anything from around 67 Mbps upwards feels comfortable for streaming, calls and several devices at once. What counts as “good” for you depends on how many people use the connection and what they do — our calculator can give you a personalised figure.
How do I know what speed I’m supposed to get?
The clearest benchmark is the advertised or estimated speed on your contract or order confirmation. Compare it with a real speed test taken on a wired connection. If you’re well below it consistently, raise it with your provider.
What broadband speed is considered slow?
It’s relative to your connection and plan rather than a single number, but if you’re getting well under half of what you’d expect for your connection type or plan, that’s slow enough to investigate.
Sources
- Ofcom — broadband speeds (connection-type expectations to be verified) — checked 14 June 2026 to verify
Published and last updated — see dates above.