SCOTTISH villages hold the titles for both fastest and slowest internet connection speeds in the UK, according to a new study.
Comparison site Broadband Genie used 12 months of data and hundreds of thousands of connection speed tests to compile its rankings of the best and worst internet speeds in the UK.
Lochwinnoch, in Renfrewshire, was found to have the fastest broadband speed, with an average connection speed of 409Mb.
Monmouth in Wales came in second with average speeds of 270.5Mb.
Three English towns – Pudsey on 241.6Mb, Wooler on 225.1Mb, and Middlewich on 223Mb – made up the remainder of the top five fastest recorded speeds in the UK.
At the opposite end of the scale, the Scottish village of Halkirk, in Caithness, was found to have the slowest broadband speeds in the UK, clocking in at an average of 2.8Mb.
The Scots town of Lockerbie came second to last, recording an average speed of 6.5Mb. Also featuring in the bottom five was Laurencekirk, in the North East, which came fifth from last with 12.3Mb.
The English towns of Ringwood in Hampshire (6.8Mb) and Longhope in Gloucestershire (12Mb) made up the bottom five in the rankings.
According to Ofcom, 10Mb is the minimum “decent connection” homes and businesses should receive, enabling multiple users to browse the internet and use streaming services. Below this, people are entitled to request an upgrade.
Broadband Genie’s speed index found that the average speed across the UK was 69.4Mb. However, five of Scotland’s cities – Dunfermline (64.9Mb), Stirling (59.8Mb), Aberdeen (58.3Mb), Perth (54.2Mb), and Inverness (53.6Mb) – recorded lower than this.
Edinburgh's average was 96Mb, while Glasgow's was 82.6Mb.
Superfast broadband is defined as speeds faster than 30Mbps, and ultrafast as quicker than 100Mbps.
The speed index was compiled using a total of 265,572 consumer speed tests run on the website broadband.co.uk in the past 12 months.
Broadband Genie said that, in order for a place to qualify for listing, a minimum number of speed tests had to be taken to reflect its population size.
Alex Tofts, a broadband expert at Broadband Genie, said: “Scotland is at both ends of the spectrum when it comes to its broadband, with both the fastest and slowest areas of the UK found within its borders.
“Our data clearly shows the country has made huge strides in upgrading its connectivity, and residents in Lochwinnoch are now leading the way. However there is still plenty of work to do in getting the north of Scotland up to speed. Bridging this digital divide is key. No broadband customer should accept a sub-par service, least of all in a year when we have seen record price increases in the industry.
“Most of Britain’s biggest providers sign up to Ofcom’s Broadband Speeds Code of Practice. This means they have to be clear about the speeds you should expect at your address, including a guaranteed minimum they must keep above.
“Speed tests are a useful tool for regularly monitoring the performance you are receiving. If they are falling short of what has been promised, contact your provider and raise the issue.
“Poor broadband speeds can also be influenced by factors outside of your provider’s control, so make sure you check these first. Poor home wiring or a poorly positioned or faulty router could be dragging your Wi-Fi down.
“Residents in the slowest towns and cities may also be suffering unnecessarily, with faster speeds available in their area if they switch. If you are out of contract and looking to upgrade your broadband, do a quick comparison online to see the best deals on offer. You may even end up paying less for a better and faster service.”
