O2 tops latest broadband speed poll

O2 has come top of the class in a new broadband speed survey.

In Moneysupermarket’s second quarterly speed test, which measured the average speed received by 60,000 internet users, O2's 8Mbits/sec package came out on top. Its customers received an average speed of 4.95Mbits/sec.

This was followed by Sky, which gave users an average consistent speed of 3.63 Mbits/sec, and Orange, which offered an average of 3Mbits/secs on its 8Mbits/sec packages.

Rob Barnes, head of broadband at moneysupermarket.com, said: "With Orange also pushing its way into the top three, mobile networks are dominating the 8Mbits/sec market at the moment, although whether Orange can maintain consistency remains to be seen.”

However, he warned that the difference between advertised and actual speeds was a problem. “One thing the results do show is broadband in Britain is still way off the pace,” he said.

Mr Barnes praised efforts to move the UK to super-fast broadband, but said misleading advertising remained a problem. He said: “It’s great news Ofcom has announced plans to bring super-fast broadband to the UK but the main priority now should be to look at tougher ways of clamping down on misleading advertised speeds.”

In 2007, Computeractive's own Crystal Clear Broadband campaign found that over 60 per cent of broadband users were receiving less than half the speed advertised for their connection. Following the campaign, Ofcom introduced a voluntary code of practice for internet service providers.