Cambridge Broadband Statistics
Cambridge has the third-best fibre access out of all major towns in the East of England, and is among the top 100 best major towns in terms of fibre access across the UK as a whole. Our analysis of Ofcom coverage data shows that Gigabit fibre is available to 26% of residents. UltraFast 300+ Mbps is available to 89% of residents, while SuperFast 30+ Mbps broadband is available to 99% of Cambridge's households.
Great broadband infrastructure results in very high speed test averages in Cambridge postcodes like CB1, CB4, CB2, CB3, and CB5. Over the past year, we’ve recorded a 49 Mbps median internet speed in Cambridge, which is 34% above the United Kingdom national median of 37 Mbps, and 15% above the median broadband speed of 43 Mbps in Cambridgeshire.
Cambridge increased access to Gigabit speeds by 15 percentage points in the past year. In addition, real-world speed test data shows that Cambridge is dramatically faster than Histon (572% slower), Great Shelford (172% slower), and Grantchester (71% slower).
Local broadband speeds over time
The median broadband speed in Cambridge has increased by 79% over the last five years.
Local broadband speeds in context
As of 2022, the median broadband speed in Cambridge is 25% higher than the East of England and 26% higher than the UK overall.
| Cambridge | 49 Mbps | |
| East of England | 37 Mbps | |
| United Kingdom | 37 Mbps |
Cambridge 2022 Broadband Scorecard
▼ 14th lowest fibre access
Major Towns, East of England
▲ 25% above regional broadband speed
East of England
▲ 26% above national broadband speed
UK Overall
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Broadband Providers
Overall Performance
We rank each provider relative to all providers in The United Kingdom based on their median download and upload speeds, measured round trip time latencies, and the percentage of speeds tests that exceed 50 Mbps.
Customer Ratings
Customer ratings are based on local reviews matched to Cambridge IP addresses. Providers can be scored on a range of 1 to 10, and ranked relative to all providers in The United Kingdom.
Median Speed Test Result
The median is the middle result in the range of tests we measured for each provider in Cambridge in the past year. Median speeds provide a better comparison than raw averages because they control for the longtail of tests related to Wi-Fi issues. The charts below represent the distribution of tests associated with each provider from low to high.
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Broadband Network Infrastructure in Cambridge
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Ofcom Fibre Access Analysis for Cambridge
See the chart below for annual reporting on fibre build rates in the Cambridge area. Availability is based on population in postcodes marked as served by Ofcom Connected Nations reports, according to the most recent census.
| 1,000+ Mbps | 300+ Mbps | 30+ Mbps | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Cambridge | Cambridgeshire | Cambridge | Cambridgeshire | Cambridge | Cambridgeshire |
| 2021 | 25.86% | 20.06% | 89.12% | 64.82% | 99.06% | 97.50% |
| 2020 | 11.28% | 10.53% | 90.02% | 62.44% | 98.88% | 96.70% |
| 2019 | 0.41% | 7.40% | 91.85% | 64.40% | 99.10% | 96.68% |
| 2018 | 0.14% | 6.79% | 87.78% | 50.44% | 99.11% | 95.95% |
| 2017 | 0.14% | 1.98% | 36.85% | 17.91% | 98.45% | 94.63% |
| 2016 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.10% | 2.58% | 97.85% | 91.15% |
Map of Cambridge's Fibre Broadband Availability by Postcode
Gigabit Availability
25.86%
of people living in Cambridge can obtain to 1,000+ Mbps broadband speeds
Ultrafast Speeds
89.12%
of Cambridge residents can get 300+ Mbps internet service
Superfast 30+ Mbps Broadband
99.06%
availability in Cambridge
Poor Broadband Speeds
None
of Cambridge is limited to broadband speeds under 30 Mbps
Cambridge Broadband Speeds Report
Average Broadband Speeds in Cambridge
| Year | Cambridge Average | United Kingdom Average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 29.08 Mbps | 26.27 Mbps | 10.70% Faster |
| 2019 | 37.13 Mbps | 30.63 Mbps | 21.22% Faster |
| 2020 | 138.43 Mbps | 80.31 Mbps | 72.37% Faster |
| 2021 | 83.85 Mbps | 66.05 Mbps | 26.95% Faster |
Cambridge Broadband Speed Distribution
| Percentage of Speed Tests in Speed Range | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet Speed Range | Cambridge | Cambridgeshire | United Kingdom |
| Very Slow: under 10 Mbps | 17.06% | 18.24% | 19.92% |
| Slow: 10-30 Mbps | 19.66% | 21.53% | 25.74% |
| Adequate: 30-60 Mbps | 20.70% | 22.70% | 25.20% |
| Good: 60-80 Mbps | 9.85% | 10.38% | 10.20% |
| Fast: 80-300 Mbps | 26.67% | 22.04% | 15.33% |
| Very Fast: over 300 Mbps | 6.05% | 5.11% | 3.60% |
How Cambridge Compares to Major Cities
| City / Town | Max Speed | Typical Speed Range | Median | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | 945.07 Mbps | 35.15—110.7 Mbps | 49.44 Mbps | - |
| Greater London | 5794.21 Mbps | 33.01—95.79 Mbps | 45.52 Mbps | Slower |
| Birmingham | 941.32 Mbps | 29.29—106.99 Mbps | 38.46 Mbps | Slower |
| Liverpool | 1134.53 Mbps | 25.52—89.55 Mbps | 34.57 Mbps | Slower |
| Nottingham | 2371.49 Mbps | 16.23—40.55 Mbps | 19.15 Mbps | Slower |
| Sheffield | 932.42 Mbps | 23.71—68.77 Mbps | 32.05 Mbps | Slower |
| Bristol | 943.13 Mbps | 30.33—109.89 Mbps | 42.25 Mbps | Slower |
| Glasgow | 913.93 Mbps | 20.58—71.34 Mbps | 32.01 Mbps | Slower |
| Leicester | 935.89 Mbps | 27.43—99.15 Mbps | 36.99 Mbps | Slower |
| Edinburgh | 874.24 Mbps | 29.94—107.43 Mbps | 38 Mbps | Slower |
Cambridge Broadband Speeds Over Time
We class broadband speed distributions as follows: very slow under 10 Mbps; slow 10-30 Mbps; adequate 30-60 Mbps; good 60-80 Mbps; fast 80-300 Mbps; very fast over 300 Mbps.
How Cambridge Compares for Internet Speed in Cambridgeshire
| Position | City / Town | Max Speed | Typical Speed Range | Median | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Saint Neots | 932.57 Mbps | 37.67—93.14 Mbps | 53.98 Mbps | Faster |
| 7 | Huntingdon | 937.52 Mbps | 37.06—186.03 Mbps | 50.26 Mbps | Faster |
| 8 | Cambridge | 945.07 Mbps | 35.15—110.7 Mbps | 49.44 Mbps | - |
| 9 | Waterbeach | 857.59 Mbps | 34.64—70.03 Mbps | 48.96 Mbps | Slower |
| 10 | Sutton | 680.47 Mbps | 36.74—81.41 Mbps | 46.3 Mbps | Slower |
Cambridge Internet Speed Test Results
We analysed the results of people in Cambridge testing broadband providers multiple times, with each test starting no more than 30 minutes after the previous speed test. On average, people in Cambridge ran 4 internet speed tests per session. Looking at broadband download speeds, if the Cambridge resident's final test is 10% faster than their starting download speed, we count that as a succesful and faster speed test result. We count an unsuccessful, slower result if the final result is 10% slower than the starting result; we'd hope their ISP contacts them ASAP! For broadband speed tests that don't vary by that much, we consider the final result to be the same. For Cambridge's residents, of the internet speed tests we measured, 43.24% were fast, 24.8% slow, and 31.96% broadly the same.
Most Recent Tests
| Provider | Start Time | # Tests | Duration | Start Speed | End Speed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BT | 17 Jan 2022 23:19:37 | 3 | 115 secs | 24.36 Mbps | 28.56 Mbps | Improved |
| Virgin Media | 17 Jan 2022 23:00:42 | 2 | 70 secs | 1.91 Mbps | 2.3 Mbps | Needs help, very slow |
| Virgin Media | 17 Jan 2022 21:20:45 | 14 | 64 mins | 0.74 Mbps | 7.87 Mbps | Needs help, very slow |
| Virgin Media | 17 Jan 2022 22:09:14 | 3 | 8 mins | 2.03 Mbps | 3.33 Mbps | Needs help, very slow |
| BT | 17 Jan 2022 21:22:53 | 2 | 59 secs | 147.69 Mbps | 147.97 Mbps | |
| BT | 17 Jan 2022 21:08:53 | 2 | 29 secs | 47.55 Mbps | 10.98 Mbps | Needs help |
| Virgin Media | 17 Jan 2022 20:18:05 | 9 | 36 mins | 7.17 Mbps | 6.24 Mbps | Needs help, very slow |
| Virgin Media | 17 Jan 2022 20:53:02 | 2 | 24 secs | 59.45 Mbps | 150.34 Mbps | Improved |
| Virgin Media | 17 Jan 2022 20:35:05 | 2 | 55 secs | 178.87 Mbps | 179.42 Mbps | |
| Virgin Media | 17 Jan 2022 20:27:32 | 2 | 29 secs | 30.16 Mbps | 170.81 Mbps | Improved |
| Virgin Media | 17 Jan 2022 20:18:38 | 3 | 5 mins | 660.25 Mbps | 749.89 Mbps | Improved |
| TalkTalk | 17 Jan 2022 19:26:09 | 2 | 45 secs | 20.74 Mbps | 22.56 Mbps | |
| Virgin Media | 17 Jan 2022 19:22:48 | 3 | 112 secs | 10.67 Mbps | 10.3 Mbps | |
| Virgin Media | 17 Jan 2022 19:02:39 | 2 | 2 mins | 0.44 Mbps | 82.13 Mbps | Improved |
| Virgin Media | 17 Jan 2022 18:54:40 | 2 | 5 mins | 60.64 Mbps | 212.99 Mbps | Improved |
| Virgin Media | 17 Jan 2022 18:35:35 | 2 | 77 secs | 107.69 Mbps | 107.58 Mbps | |
| BT | 17 Jan 2022 18:23:26 | 2 | 22 secs | 584.76 Mbps | 619.97 Mbps | |
| Virgin Media | 17 Jan 2022 17:45:18 | 5 | 19 mins | 374.12 Mbps | 375.08 Mbps | |
| Virgin Media | 17 Jan 2022 17:52:50 | 2 | 5 mins | 65.11 Mbps | 69.53 Mbps | |
| Virgin Media | 17 Jan 2022 17:44:21 | 2 | 10 mins | 61.12 Mbps | 63.27 Mbps |
Summary of Internet Service Providers in Cambridge
| # | Provider Name | Max Speed | Typical Speed Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cambridge Fibre | 939.51 Mbps | 170.08—413.61 Mbps |
| 2 | Hyperoptic | 173 Mbps | 170.43—171.18 Mbps |
| 3 | Glide | 869.43 Mbps | 37.95—100.8 Mbps |
| 4 | Virgin Media | 935.11 Mbps | 55.21—192.43 Mbps |
| 5 | telcom (Velocity Fibre) | 416.28 Mbps | 36.98—94.74 Mbps |
| 6 | Independent Fibre Networks | 367.49 Mbps | 39.48—116.71 Mbps |
| 7 | BT | 945.07 Mbps | 32.8—71.99 Mbps |
| 8 | Zen Internet | 839.81 Mbps | 24.89—74.32 Mbps |
| 9 | iDNET | 94.02 Mbps | 42.35—92.98 Mbps |
| 10 | KCOM | 66.3 Mbps | 33.57—63.34 Mbps |
| 11 | Vodafone | 932.13 Mbps | 26.65—65.05 Mbps |
| 12 | Spitfire | 91.95 Mbps | 22.27—74.22 Mbps |
| 13 | Andrews & Arnold | 83.64 Mbps | 27.02—68.37 Mbps |
| 14 | Sky Broadband | 514.41 Mbps | 17.22—55.83 Mbps |
| 15 | TalkTalk | 482.35 Mbps | 21.71—49.61 Mbps |
| 16 | Trunk Networks | 63.79 Mbps | 0—0.05 Mbps |
| 17 | EE | 638.9 Mbps | 13.98—47.22 Mbps |
| 18 | Plusnet | 74.8 Mbps | 18.1—57.57 Mbps |
| 19 | Shell Energy | 74.2 Mbps | 10.67—27.71 Mbps |
| 20 | CIX | 91.93 Mbps | 8.59—11.14 Mbps |
Frequently Asked Questions about Internet Providers in Cambridge
How many broadband providers in Cambridge are there?
Cambridge has 20 ISPs tested by its 125,758 residents.
Who is the fastest broadband provider in Cambridge?
Cambridge Fibre is the fastest broadband provider in Cambridge with 939.51 Mbps, and an average internet speed range of 170.08—413.61 Mbps.
Who is the best internet provider in Cambridge?
The best internet provider in Cambridge is Cambridge Fibre, and their users typically see broadband speeds in the range of 170.08 to 413.61 Mbps.
What is the average internet speed in Cambridge?
Users in Cambridge see an average internet speed of 35.15 up to 370 Mbps, and the fastest speed we've seen is 945.07 Mbps.
Is Virgin Media available in Cambridge?
Broadband service from Virgin Media is available in Cambridge, and the fastest speed we've seen from them is 935.11 Mbps.
Is Sky Broadband available in Cambridge?
Broadband service from Sky Broadband is available in Cambridge, and the fastest speed we've seen from them is 514.41 Mbps.
Is BT available in Cambridge?
Broadband service from BT is available in Cambridge, and the fastest speed we've seen from them is 945.07 Mbps.
Is BT full fibre available in Cambridge?
Yes, BT offers full fibre to the home (also called FTTH or FTTP) to 143 of Cambridge's postcodes.
Who is the most popular broadband provider in Cambridge?
The broadband provider with the most users in Cambridge is Virgin Media.
Author: Thomas Buck
Last Reviewed By: Tyler Cooper
Published: 10 Nov 2019
Last Updated: 17 Jan 2022