Average residential fixed broadband download speed in the United Kingdom 2013-2023

The United Kingdom's average residential fixed broadband speed soared to nearly 140 megabits per second (Mbps) in 2023, up from just 103 Mbps in 2022. This rapid increase reflects the country's expanding fiber infrastructure, enabling ultra-fast connections in many residential areas.

FTTC remains the leading connection type

The rollout and adoption of fiber infrastructure has been designated a top priority by the UK government, with fast, reliable broadband considered crucial in realizing digital transformation efforts across the UK’s four nations. The number of fiber- to-the-premises (FTTP) broadband connections in the UK increased to almost 5.7 million percent in 2023, up from just 3.7 million the previous year. FTTP is considered ‘full fiber’ in that fiber optic cable is used for the entire length of the connection. However, most UK connections that year were fiber-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) connections, which rely on existing copper cables to deliver services from cabinets to premises.

Shifting consumption prompts surging data traffic

The surge in UK fixed download speeds has been met with increasing broadband data use. The average residential broadband connection consumed more than 500 gigabytes per month in 2023, up from just 30 gigabytes a decade prior. This increase in data traffic reflects the broad adoption of data intensive activities such as 4K streaming, online gaming, and cloud storage.