Newcastle upon Tyne Broadband Statistics
Newcastle upon Tyne has the best fibre access out of all major cities in the North East, and is among the top 100 best major cities in terms of fibre access across the UK as a whole. Our analysis of Ofcom coverage data shows that Gigabit fibre is available to 30% of residents. UltraFast 300+ Mbps is available to 76% of residents, while SuperFast 30+ Mbps broadband is available to 97% of Newcastle upon Tyne's households.
Despite good broadband infrastructure, we see low speed test averages in Newcastle upon Tyne postcodes like NE3, NE6, NE4, NE5, and NE15. Over the past year, we’ve recorded a 32.86 Mbps median internet speed in Newcastle upon Tyne, which is 11% below the United Kingdom national median of 37 Mbps.
Newcastle upon Tyne increased access to Gigabit speeds by 20 percentage points in the past year. The buildout rate is also better than neighbouring major cities like Sunderland (gained 3.46 percentate points), Gateshead (gained 1.85 percentate points), and Stockton-on-Tees (gained 0.22 percentate points). In addition, real-world speed test data shows that Newcastle upon Tyne is significantly outperformed by Brunswick (28% faster) and Hazlerigg (0.58% faster).
Local broadband speeds over time
The median broadband speed in Newcastle upon Tyne has increased by 80% over the last five years.
Local broadband speeds in context
As of 2022, the median broadband speed in Newcastle upon Tyne is 6.12% lower than the North East and 12% lower than the UK overall.
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 33 Mbps | |
| North East | 35 Mbps | |
| United Kingdom | 37 Mbps |
Newcastle upon Tyne 2022 Broadband Scorecard
▲ First place fibre access
Major Cities, North East
▼ 6.12% below regional broadband speed
North East
▼ 12% below 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 Newcastle upon Tyne 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 Newcastle upon Tyne 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 Newcastle upon Tyne
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Ofcom Fibre Access Analysis for Newcastle upon Tyne
See the chart below for annual reporting on fibre build rates in the Newcastle upon Tyne 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 29.53% | 76.43% | 97.38% |
| 2020 | 9.67% | 68.82% | 97.94% |
| 2019 | 4.61% | 67.99% | 98.62% |
| 2018 | 4.57% | 66.36% | 98.17% |
| 2017 | 2.96% | 27.65% | 97.03% |
| 2016 | 0.00% | 2.28% | 94.00% |
Map of Newcastle upon Tyne's Fibre Broadband Availability by Postcode
Gigabit Availability
29.53%
of people living in Newcastle upon Tyne can obtain to 1,000+ Mbps broadband speeds
Ultrafast Speeds
76.43%
of Newcastle upon Tyne residents can get 300+ Mbps internet service
Superfast 30+ Mbps Broadband
97.38%
availability in Newcastle upon Tyne
Poor Broadband Speeds
2.02%
of Newcastle upon Tyne is limited to broadband speeds under 30 Mbps
Newcastle upon Tyne Broadband Speeds Report
Average Broadband Speeds in Newcastle upon Tyne
| Year | Newcastle upon Tyne Average | United Kingdom Average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 19.85 Mbps | 26.27 Mbps | 24.44% Slower |
| 2019 | 21.93 Mbps | 30.63 Mbps | 28.40% Slower |
| 2020 | 60.87 Mbps | 80.31 Mbps | 24.21% Slower |
| 2021 | 56.87 Mbps | 66.05 Mbps | 13.90% Slower |
Newcastle upon Tyne Broadband Speed Distribution
| Percentage of Speed Tests in Speed Range | ||
|---|---|---|
| Internet Speed Range | Newcastle upon Tyne | United Kingdom |
| Very Slow: under 10 Mbps | 23.92% | 19.92% |
| Slow: 10-30 Mbps | 27.17% | 25.74% |
| Adequate: 30-60 Mbps | 22.88% | 25.20% |
| Good: 60-80 Mbps | 7.83% | 10.20% |
| Fast: 80-300 Mbps | 16.06% | 15.33% |
| Very Fast: over 300 Mbps | 2.14% | 3.60% |
How Newcastle upon Tyne Compares to Major Cities
| City / Town | Max Speed | Typical Speed Range | Median | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater London | 5794.21 Mbps | 32.96—95.6 Mbps | 45.49 Mbps | Faster |
| Birmingham | 941.32 Mbps | 29.26—106.92 Mbps | 38.41 Mbps | Faster |
| Liverpool | 1134.53 Mbps | 25.5—89.41 Mbps | 34.55 Mbps | Faster |
| Bristol | 943.13 Mbps | 30.28—109.85 Mbps | 42.19 Mbps | Faster |
| Leicester | 935.89 Mbps | 27.38—98.99 Mbps | 36.93 Mbps | Faster |
| Edinburgh | 874.24 Mbps | 29.95—107.42 Mbps | 38 Mbps | Faster |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 934.04 Mbps | 24.02—78.19 Mbps | 32.86 Mbps | - |
| Nottingham | 2371.49 Mbps | 16.34—40.87 Mbps | 19.3 Mbps | Slower |
| Sheffield | 932.42 Mbps | 23.67—68.69 Mbps | 32.02 Mbps | Slower |
| Glasgow | 913.93 Mbps | 20.52—71.3 Mbps | 31.97 Mbps | Slower |
Cities and Provider Internet Speeds in Newcastle upon Tyne
| Position | City | Max Speed | Typical Speed Range | Median | # Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brunswick | 901.41 Mbps | 27.96—151.68 Mbps | 42.22 Mbps | 9 |
| 2 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 934.04 Mbps | 24.02—78.19 Mbps | 32.86 Mbps | 17 |
Newcastle upon Tyne 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 Newcastle upon Tyne Compares for Internet Speed in Newcastle upon Tyne
| Position | City / Town | Max Speed | Typical Speed Range | Median | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brunswick | 901.41 Mbps | 27.96—151.68 Mbps | 42.22 Mbps | Faster |
| 2 | Hazlerigg | 73.72 Mbps | 32.41—57.62 Mbps | 33.05 Mbps | Faster |
| 3 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 934.04 Mbps | 24.02—78.19 Mbps | 32.86 Mbps | - |
| 4 | Dinnington | 64.55 Mbps | 1.89—16.28 Mbps | 3.53 Mbps | Slower |
Newcastle upon Tyne Internet Speed Test Results
We analysed the results of people in Newcastle upon Tyne testing broadband providers multiple times, with each test starting no more than 30 minutes after the previous speed test. On average, people in Newcastle upon Tyne ran 4 internet speed tests per session. Looking at broadband download speeds, if the Newcastle upon Tyne 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 Newcastle upon Tyne's residents, of the internet speed tests we measured, 41.13% were fast, 24.92% slow, and 33.94% broadly the same.
Most Recent Tests
| Provider | Start Time | # Tests | Duration | Start Speed | End Speed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin Media | 14 Jan 2022 23:38:16 | 2 | 34 secs | 53.52 Mbps | 75.17 Mbps | Improved |
| Sky Broadband | 14 Jan 2022 23:26:44 | 4 | 4 mins | 15.82 Mbps | 15.23 Mbps | |
| Virgin Media | 14 Jan 2022 23:26:13 | 3 | 2 mins | 24.43 Mbps | 33.18 Mbps | Improved |
| Vodafone | 14 Jan 2022 23:19:12 | 2 | 18 secs | 54.35 Mbps | 56.59 Mbps | |
| Sky Broadband | 14 Jan 2022 22:19:57 | 2 | 32 secs | 1.53 Mbps | 6.79 Mbps | Needs help, very slow |
| EE | 14 Jan 2022 22:19:06 | 2 | 73 secs | 11.54 Mbps | 30.2 Mbps | Improved |
| TalkTalk | 14 Jan 2022 22:13:12 | 2 | 4 mins | 9.2 Mbps | 17.07 Mbps | Improved |
| Vodafone | 14 Jan 2022 21:31:25 | 2 | 2 mins | 205.59 Mbps | 394.07 Mbps | Improved |
| BT | 14 Jan 2022 21:25:14 | 2 | 3 mins | 0.64 Mbps | 0.2 Mbps | Needs help, very slow |
| Plusnet | 14 Jan 2022 21:23:19 | 2 | 85 secs | 19.75 Mbps | 18.9 Mbps | |
| Virgin Media | 14 Jan 2022 21:06:16 | 2 | 98 secs | 2.46 Mbps | 0.43 Mbps | Needs help, very slow |
| Virgin Media | 14 Jan 2022 21:02:29 | 3 | 88 secs | 37.42 Mbps | 51.64 Mbps | Improved |
| Virgin Media | 14 Jan 2022 20:40:19 | 3 | 19 mins | 34.29 Mbps | 40.2 Mbps | Improved |
| Virgin Media | 14 Jan 2022 20:54:36 | 4 | 110 secs | 476.63 Mbps | 18.87 Mbps | Needs help |
| Virgin Media | 14 Jan 2022 20:49:24 | 2 | 2 secs | 0.94 Mbps | 0.75 Mbps | Needs help, very slow |
| Plusnet | 14 Jan 2022 20:14:48 | 2 | 59 secs | 5.86 Mbps | 5.89 Mbps | Needs help, very slow |
| Virgin Media | 14 Jan 2022 20:13:55 | 2 | 82 secs | 45.11 Mbps | 46.7 Mbps | |
| TalkTalk | 14 Jan 2022 20:10:45 | 2 | 27 secs | 28.54 Mbps | 29.46 Mbps | |
| TalkTalk | 14 Jan 2022 19:52:47 | 4 | 9 mins | 4.75 Mbps | 10.76 Mbps | Improved |
| Virgin Media | 14 Jan 2022 19:38:27 | 2 | 15 mins | 472.64 Mbps | 437.13 Mbps |
Summary of Internet Service Providers in Newcastle upon Tyne
| # | Provider Name | Max Speed | Typical Speed Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hyperoptic | 879.63 Mbps | 35.46—165.67 Mbps |
| 2 | Virgin Media | 932.29 Mbps | 50.3—190.44 Mbps |
| 3 | CCS Leeds | 906.94 Mbps | 8.6—62.09 Mbps |
| 4 | Independent Fibre Networks | 162.55 Mbps | 22.34—46.22 Mbps |
| 5 | Zen Internet | 902.98 Mbps | 29.55—73.62 Mbps |
| 6 | Glide | 662.68 Mbps | 25.01—80.26 Mbps |
| 7 | BT | 894.39 Mbps | 23—69.04 Mbps |
| 8 | CIX | 174.88 Mbps | 35.53—84.48 Mbps |
| 9 | EE | 701.8 Mbps | 22.5—65.17 Mbps |
| 10 | Vodafone | 934.04 Mbps | 29.44—53.41 Mbps |
| 11 | Andrews & Arnold | 35.47 Mbps | 0—35.45 Mbps |
| 12 | TalkTalk | 500.01 Mbps | 20.1—49.61 Mbps |
| 13 | Sky Broadband | 478.04 Mbps | 16.36—49.82 Mbps |
| 14 | Plusnet | 74.06 Mbps | 15.55—38.33 Mbps |
| 15 | Call27 | 70.04 Mbps | 13.6—32.56 Mbps |
| 16 | Shell Energy | 73.39 Mbps | 9—32.68 Mbps |
| 17 | O2 Broadband | 33.52 Mbps | 1.42—8.98 Mbps |
Frequently Asked Questions about Internet Providers in Newcastle upon Tyne
How many broadband providers in Newcastle upon Tyne are there?
Newcastle upon Tyne has 17 ISPs tested by its 300,196 residents.
Who is the fastest broadband provider in Newcastle upon Tyne?
Virgin Media is the fastest broadband provider in Newcastle upon Tyne with 932.29 Mbps, and an average internet speed range of 50.3—190.44 Mbps.
Who is the best internet provider in Newcastle upon Tyne?
The best internet provider in Newcastle upon Tyne is Virgin Media, and their users typically see broadband speeds in the range of 50.3 to 190.44 Mbps.
What is the average internet speed in Newcastle upon Tyne?
Users in Newcastle upon Tyne see an average internet speed of 24.02 up to 764 Mbps, and the fastest speed we've seen is 934.04 Mbps.
Is Sky Broadband available in Newcastle upon Tyne?
Broadband service from Sky Broadband is available in Newcastle upon Tyne, and the fastest speed we've seen from them is 478.04 Mbps.
Is Virgin Media available in Newcastle upon Tyne?
Broadband service from Virgin Media is available in Newcastle upon Tyne, and the fastest speed we've seen from them is 932.29 Mbps.
Is TalkTalk available in Newcastle upon Tyne?
Broadband service from TalkTalk is available in Newcastle upon Tyne, and the fastest speed we've seen from them is 500.01 Mbps.
Is BT full fibre available in Newcastle upon Tyne?
Yes, BT offers full fibre to the home (also called FTTH or FTTP) to 1022 of Newcastle upon Tyne's postcodes.
Who is the most popular broadband provider in Newcastle upon Tyne?
The broadband provider with the most users in Newcastle upon Tyne is Sky Broadband.
Author: Thomas Buck
Last Reviewed By: Tyler Cooper
Published: 10 Nov 2019
Last Updated: 14 Jan 2022