Ookla has analysed mobile connectivity across local authorities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and presented data based on its Speedtest Intelligence data from 2024 Q1 to Q3 2024 and 2025 Q1 to Q3

UK-wide median mobile download speed rose 15 per cent year-on-year to 63.03 Mbps in 2025 while upload speeds improved from 7.80 to 8.21 Mbps, and latency fell 4 per cent to 50 ms. England and Northern Ireland saw the strongest gains, whilst Wales remains the slowest nation, and Scotland’s median slipped from 49.13 to 46.05 Mbps despite improvements in several local authorities.

Other high-level takeaways include:

• In Q1–Q3 2025, median speeds ranged from just over 10 Mbps (Shetland Islands) to just over 100 Mbps (Leicester).
  • Around 28 per cent of local authorities had fewer than 60% of Speedtest samples meeting a 25 Mbps download threshold, indicating persistently poor connectivity for many in the UK.
• Top performers include Leicester, Nottingham, Derby, Bridge of Don, Thurrock and Stoke-on-Trent. with median download speeds in the mid-80s to 100 Mbps.
• Weakest performers include the Shetland Islands, Isle of Anglesey, Fermanagh and Omagh, Denbighshire, Pembrokeshire, Orkney and Cornwall, with median download speeds mostly in the mid-teens to low-20s.
• The strong correlation found between download speeds and population density confirms that there is a significant urban-rural mobile divide in the UK, showing that where you live largely dictates your mobile experience.

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Categories: Articles, Mobile, Research

Tags: cornwall, mobile, Ookla, scotland, UK, wales