Edinburgh tops broadband speed league

Published on Wednesday 6 July 2011 15:28

THE stark differences in fixed-line broadband services in different parts of the UK are highlighted for the first time in a map published yesterday.

The Ofcom interactive map shows 68 per cent of UK homes and businesses have a fixed broadband connection, excluding superfast broadband, with the Western Isles having the lowest take-up at 46 per cent.

The map shows that Edinburgh has the fastest average speeds, at 10.1 megabits per second - compared with the national average of 7.5Mbit/s - but customers in some other parts of Scotland are below 2Mbit/s.

The communications regulator said superfast services (over 24Mbit/s) made up less than 3 per cent of total broadband connections and were not included in the figures published. But it said it expected the take-up of superfast services to rise significantly over the coming year.

The report does not include wireless connections which are used to provide broadband in areas like the Highlands and Islands.

Vicki Nash, director of Ofcom Scotland, said: "The map clearly shows a mixed picture of connectivity in Scotland. For example, Edinburgh has the fastest speeds of anywhere in the UK while other areas don't see the same benefits. As is the case with the whole of the UK, these tend to be the more remote and rural areas of Scotland.

"The map provides us with a clear picture of connectivity, and we hope that this information will stimulate further roll-out of broadband infrastructure and better performance for households and businesses."

The importance of extending broadband coverage across the country has been highlighted recently by both the Westminster and Holyrood governments.

A total of 530 million has been put aside by the UK government to help deliver better services. Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt said in May that the ambition was to set a target of 90 per cent of businesses and homes able to take-up superfast broadband by 2015.

Richard Lochhead, the rural affairs secretary, said the Scottish Government wanted to see all of Scotland having access to next generation broadband (NGB) by 2020, with significant progress made by 2015.

According to the Ofcom figures, the broadband take-up in London is 78 per cent and superfast broadband is available in 85 per cent of the area. The average speed is 8.8Mbit/s.

Much of Scotland has take-up of between 60 and 70 per cent, with Aberdeenshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire and West Lothian 70 to 80 per cent. Dumfries and Galloway and North Ayrshire are on 50-60 per cent.

The average broadband speed across much of the UK is between 6 and 8Mbit/s, but this drops to 5.9Mbits/s in the Borders, 5.7Mbits/s in the Highlands and 5.1Mbits/s in the Western Isles.