Ofcom prepares to rate broadband speed rankings

Telecoms regulator Ofcom will next month launch a report into the actual broadband speeds being delivered by internet service providers (ISPs) in the UK.

According to PC Pro, the watchdog is collaborating with SamKnows Broadband for a special screening programme involving sending out 2,500 testing routers.

The results of the speed data tests will be divided for each ISP and then published by the regulator in April.

SamKnows uses a performance monitoring network utilising a hardware-based system which tracks data and evaluates broadband performance.

As well as running speed tests, the boxes will also run constant tests on latency, DNS query times and failures, packet loss, web page loading times and VoIP call quality.

British Telecom (BT) has signalled its intention to plough ahead with plans for a £1.5 billion broadband network roll after securing favourable conditions from Ofcom.

Using a mix of Fibre to the Premise and Fibre to the Cabinet fibre optics, some homes under the plans will get access to broadband up to 20 times the current average attainable speed.