O2 top broadband table but Brits still off the pace

The winner of moneysupermarket.com's second quarterly speed test of almost 60,000 internet connections is O2's 8 Mbps package.

The speed test, which measures consistent speeds, quarter on quarter, shows O2 remains top of the league with an average speed of up to 4.95 Mbps. The latest broadband league table also sees Orange storm its way into the top three with its 8 Mbps offering, posting an average speed of 3 Mbps and pushing Talk Talk out of the top three.

Rob Barnes, head of broadband at moneysupermarket.com, said: "Our tests have shown O2 is not just an overnight success - it's establishing itself as one of the best broadband providers on the market. With Orange also pushing its way into the top three, mobile networks are dominating the 8Mb market at the moment, although whether Orange can maintain consistency remains to be seen.

"One thing the results do show is broadband in Britain is still way off the pace. The European Commission has called on the telecoms companies to share access to their superfast networks, however with profits at risk this looks very unlikely. Its 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."

The speed tests, carried out on connections advertised between 2 Mbps and 24 Mbps, show for best value, people should look at 2 Mb products. Results show they achieve an average speed of 2.08 Mbps.

Barnes continues: "There are some great value packages out there, especially for those taking out a triple bundle deal. However, people need to consider their browsing habits especially if they are a heavy downloader. Although 2 Mbps may show best value, it's always best to go for the fastest option you can afford."

Broadband users can test their connection against the speed they pay their provider for by visiting moneysupermarket.com/c/broadband/speed-test/