Virgin is UK's fastest ISP, TalkTalk slowest, Netflix says
Average Internet speeds are up across the board in the UK -- but not by much, according to the video streaming service.
Virgin Media is the fastest Internet provider in the UK, according to Netflix.
The streaming service has published the average speeds achieved by the UK's major broadband floggers in July, and the results make for interesting reading. Virgin Media comes out on top, with an average speed of 2.63Mbps, while BT is in second place with a 2.4Mbps average.
Netflix says the ratings "reflect the average performance of all Netflix streams on each ISP's network", so peak performance of any given network could be much higher -- but when compared, the ratings do give an impression of which networks are pulling their weight, and which are...
Lagging behind
TalkTalk is the slowest ISP in Netflix's chart, with an average speed of 2.19Mbps, while Everything Everywhere and Sky are only slightly better. TalkTalk has recently appeared in Ofcom's list of most-complained-about telecoms providers.
One positive sign is that the average speed of every network appears to be climbing, though only gradually. A speedy connection will be increasingly crucial in the future, as more and more UK TV switches from satellite and terrestrial viewing to online streaming.
Netflix today saw the mid-season premiere of the final episodes of Breaking Bad, which will be available to stream one day after their debut in the US.
How's your Internet service provider? Are you chuffed with the speeds you receive, or are you frequently taunted by the hated buffering icon? Let off some steam in the comments below, or over on our Facebook wall.