Average UK broadband speed 'under 3mbps'

The average broadband speed in the United Kingdom is a "pitiful" 2.95mbps, according to new figures from comparison site Broadband Expert.

It says the speed, which was calculated from 18,558 tests carried out on broadband connections in January, contradicted the claims made by many internet service providers (ISPs) who promise consumers super-fast broadband with speeds of up to 8mb.

The site's study found the slowest download speed, the rate at which a computer processes information like emails, internet pages, music files and video, was 1.72mbps while the fastest was 6.07mbps.

Average upload speeds, the time it takes to send information such as email attachments or photos, varied greatly, the site said, from 219kbs (0.219mbps) to 850kbs.

Broadband Expert's technical director William Harvey said: "Despite ongoing pressure from Ofcom and various consumer groups broadband providers are still misleading the public over broadband speeds."

He added that the maximum speeds often used in adverts were achieved by a "very small percentage" of subscribers and that ISPs should have to use average speeds in their marketing.

According to 2007 figures from the European Union, 57 per cent of UK households have a broadband connection.