Which areas have the UK’s fastest mobile internet - and where are the speeds slowest?

Along with measuring which providers offer the fastest mobile internet, speed tester Ookla has recently published it’s research into where in the UK has the fastest (and slowest) mobile network.

While the results show a general trend towards higher speeds in urban areas and lower speeds in more rural locations, there are still some surprises. Find out how your home region ranks - and how you can get the fastest mobile internet available wherever you live.

What are the average UK mobile broadband speeds?

When comparing which areas have the fastest mobile internet, it’s helpful to know what the average speed is.

In areas with a strong signal, 5G equipment like our 5G mobile broadband routers reach average speeds of 114 - 205 Mbps, with top speeds of 1.2 Gbps. Meanwhile, 4G connections average 40 - 60 Mbps, with a top speed of around 150 Mbps.

Across both 4G and 5G connections, the median UK download speed for mobile internet connections in 2025 was 63.03 Mbps (a 15% increase on 2024). For the purpose of their ranking, Ookla used a threshold of 25 Mbps in their ranking as the speed that offers a ‘good experience’ - this speed is suitable for someone working from home, browsing or streaming video.

The areas with the fastest mobile internet 

Generally speaking, the areas with the fastest mobile internet are major cities and towns. The top 15 best performing areas include London (which is especially good news considering that traditional internet options in London are surprisingly poor), Glasgow, Manchester, York and Belfast.

Here are the top 15 best-performing areas, ranked by the percentage of their connections that are rated as ‘good’ or better.

The areas with the slowest mobile internet 

The worst-performing local authorities for mobile internet speed tend to be isolated areas with a low population density, where there has been less investment in mobile infrastructure.

If you’re concerned about slow speeds limiting your options for mobile broadband, whether its at home or while you’re travelling, choosing multi-network broadband is an easy way to make sure you can connect to the best network available, wherever you are.