Virgin Media named fastest broadband UK provider – but who is the slowest?

last updated 21 April 2022

It’s a sad-but-true fact – superfast broadband is a necessity for the majority of people in today’s technology-driven world. Without it, how would we binge-watch our favourite Netflix series? Or what if we wanted to ask Alexa for a weather update instead of simply looking out a window?

So imagine the stress and annoyance of having to constantly call your broadband provider’s customer service team because your download speeds are slower than a sloth – it’s not pleasant.

But, if you’re a household who chose Virgin Media as your supplier, then you’re much smarter than those who didn’t. Because they’ve been named the fastest broadband provider in the UK for the seventh year in a row!

broadband with wooden flooring and white table

Analysis from UK broadband comparison website Broadband Genie, who analysed more than 12,000 speed tests across the UK up until December 2018, recorded an average download of 71.5Mb for Virgin Media customers – almost three times faster than its nearest challenger.

‘We’re on a mission to make Britain faster and build connections that really matter so we’re thrilled that for the seventh year in a row we’ve been crowned the UK’s fastest broadband provider by Broadband Genie,’ says Richard Sinclair MBE, Executive Director for Connectivity at Virgin Media.

Vodafone came second in the poll, with average download speeds of 24.9Mb. However, the telecommunications conglomerate hit the top spot when it came to upload speeds, averaging 10.1Mb compared to runner-up Virgin Media’s 7.7Mb.

living room with white table and table lamp

‘We’re really pleased to have been recognised as the fastest broadband provider for uploading for the second year running,’ Scott Petty, Chief Technology Officer at Vodafone UK, said.

‘As the UK’s fastest growing provider, we’re delighted our customers continue to enjoy best-in-market upload speeds. These are vital for everything from online gaming to uploading photos and live streaming.’

But it may come as a shock to some – or not, they’re bottom of the list for a reason – that Sky failed to impress with both its download and upload speeds.