Southampton Broadband Statistics
Southampton has the best fibre access out of all major cities in the South 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 86% of residents. UltraFast 300+ Mbps is available to 93% of residents, while SuperFast 30+ Mbps broadband is available to 98% of Southampton's households.
Great broadband infrastructure results in high speed test averages in Southampton postcodes like SO16, SO19, SO15, SO18, and SO14. Over the past year, we’ve recorded a 37.77 Mbps median internet speed in Southampton, which is 2.52% above the United Kingdom national median of 37 Mbps.
Southampton increased access to Gigabit speeds by 82 percentage points in the past year. The buildout rate is also better than neighbouring major cities like Basingstoke (gained 82 percentate points), Portsmouth (gained 17 percentate points), and Brighton (gained 10 percentate points).
Local broadband speeds over time
The median broadband speed in Southampton has increased by 80% over the last five years.
Local broadband speeds in context
As of 2022, the median broadband speed in Southampton is 1.99% lower than the South East and 2.46% higher than the UK overall.
| Southampton | 38 Mbps | |
| South East | 39 Mbps | |
| United Kingdom | 37 Mbps |
Southampton 2022 Broadband Scorecard
▲ First place fibre access
Major Cities, South East
▼ 1.99% below regional broadband speed
South East
▲ 2.46% 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 Southampton 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 Southampton 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 Southampton
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Ofcom Fibre Access Analysis for Southampton
See the chart below for annual reporting on fibre build rates in the Southampton 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 | 86.39% | 92.83% | 98.36% |
| 2020 | 4.47% | 88.52% | 97.88% |
| 2019 | 2.54% | 90.55% | 98.55% |
| 2018 | 15.97% | 85.03% | 97.93% |
| 2017 | 1.74% | 69.58% | 96.50% |
| 2016 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 96.29% |
Map of Southampton's Fibre Broadband Availability by Postcode
Gigabit Availability
86.39%
of people living in Southampton can obtain to 1,000+ Mbps broadband speeds
Ultrafast Speeds
92.83%
of Southampton residents can get 300+ Mbps internet service
Superfast 30+ Mbps Broadband
98.36%
availability in Southampton
Poor Broadband Speeds
1.42%
of Southampton is limited to broadband speeds under 30 Mbps
Southampton Broadband Speeds Report
Average Broadband Speeds in Southampton
| Year | Southampton Average | United Kingdom Average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 23.95 Mbps | 26.27 Mbps | 8.83% Slower |
| 2019 | 30.11 Mbps | 30.63 Mbps | 1.70% Slower |
| 2020 | 92.81 Mbps | 80.31 Mbps | 15.56% Faster |
| 2021 | 86 Mbps | 66.05 Mbps | 30.20% Faster |
Southampton Broadband Speed Distribution
| Percentage of Speed Tests in Speed Range | ||
|---|---|---|
| Internet Speed Range | Southampton | United Kingdom |
| Very Slow: under 10 Mbps | 21.85% | 19.92% |
| Slow: 10-30 Mbps | 21.83% | 25.74% |
| Adequate: 30-60 Mbps | 21.12% | 25.20% |
| Good: 60-80 Mbps | 8.62% | 10.20% |
| Fast: 80-300 Mbps | 19.29% | 15.33% |
| Very Fast: over 300 Mbps | 7.31% | 3.60% |
How Southampton Compares to Major Cities
| City / Town | Max Speed | Typical Speed Range | Median | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater London | 5794.21 Mbps | 33.02—95.86 Mbps | 45.54 Mbps | Faster |
| Birmingham | 941.32 Mbps | 29.29—107 Mbps | 38.47 Mbps | Faster |
| Bristol | 943.13 Mbps | 30.35—109.9 Mbps | 42.28 Mbps | Faster |
| Edinburgh | 874.24 Mbps | 29.96—107.47 Mbps | 38.02 Mbps | Faster |
| Southampton | 946.59 Mbps | 28.43—110.11 Mbps | 37.77 Mbps | - |
| Liverpool | 1134.53 Mbps | 25.52—89.6 Mbps | 34.58 Mbps | Slower |
| Nottingham | 2371.49 Mbps | 16.2—40.46 Mbps | 19.1 Mbps | Slower |
| Sheffield | 932.42 Mbps | 23.73—68.81 Mbps | 32.06 Mbps | Slower |
| Glasgow | 913.93 Mbps | 20.58—71.34 Mbps | 32 Mbps | Slower |
| Leicester | 935.89 Mbps | 27.45—99.24 Mbps | 37 Mbps | Slower |
Southampton 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 Southampton Compares for Internet Speed in Southampton
| Position | City / Town | Max Speed | Typical Speed Range | Median | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southampton | 946.59 Mbps | 28.43—110.11 Mbps | 37.77 Mbps | - |
Southampton Internet Speed Test Results
We analysed the results of people in Southampton testing broadband providers multiple times, with each test starting no more than 30 minutes after the previous speed test. On average, people in Southampton ran 4 internet speed tests per session. Looking at broadband download speeds, if the Southampton 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 Southampton's residents, of the internet speed tests we measured, 42.42% were fast, 25.45% slow, and 32.13% broadly the same.
Most Recent Tests
| Provider | Start Time | # Tests | Duration | Start Speed | End Speed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sky Broadband | 18 Jan 2022 22:48:55 | 6 | 54 mins | 16.39 Mbps | 48.13 Mbps | Improved |
| Sky Broadband | 18 Jan 2022 23:27:32 | 6 | 8 mins | 62.22 Mbps | 60.65 Mbps | |
| Sky Broadband | 18 Jan 2022 22:56:26 | 2 | 26 secs | 19.62 Mbps | 27.02 Mbps | Improved |
| Sky Broadband | 18 Jan 2022 22:50:12 | 2 | 2 mins | 9.53 Mbps | 14.81 Mbps | Improved |
| Virgin Media | 18 Jan 2022 22:34:04 | 2 | 30 secs | 46.89 Mbps | 54.82 Mbps | Improved |
| Virgin Media | 18 Jan 2022 21:54:59 | 6 | 24 mins | 31.48 Mbps | 23.78 Mbps | Needs help |
| Sky Broadband | 18 Jan 2022 22:11:16 | 2 | 59 secs | 42.36 Mbps | 53.34 Mbps | Improved |
| Plusnet | 18 Jan 2022 22:05:27 | 2 | 53 secs | 5.08 Mbps | 7.23 Mbps | Needs help, very slow |
| Virgin Media | 18 Jan 2022 22:04:21 | 2 | 44 secs | 37.57 Mbps | 10.78 Mbps | Needs help |
| toob | 18 Jan 2022 21:51:35 | 3 | 6 mins | 79.74 Mbps | 19.02 Mbps | Needs help |
| Sky Broadband | 18 Jan 2022 21:46:32 | 2 | 27 secs | 27.41 Mbps | 31.36 Mbps | Improved |
| Virgin Media | 18 Jan 2022 21:05:59 | 11 | 26 mins | 2.41 Mbps | 14.9 Mbps | Improved |
| Virgin Media | 18 Jan 2022 21:23:13 | 2 | 2 mins | 0.67 Mbps | 44.88 Mbps | Improved |
| Virgin Media | 18 Jan 2022 21:18:07 | 3 | 71 secs | 110.77 Mbps | 29.8 Mbps | Needs help |
| Virgin Media | 18 Jan 2022 21:10:32 | 3 | 8 mins | 22.44 Mbps | 0.11 Mbps | Needs help, very slow |
| Sky Broadband | 18 Jan 2022 21:13:16 | 5 | 3 mins | 16.87 Mbps | 35.38 Mbps | Improved |
| Virgin Media | 18 Jan 2022 20:59:57 | 4 | 91 secs | 11.67 Mbps | 207.19 Mbps | Improved |
| toob | 18 Jan 2022 20:56:49 | 2 | 2 mins | 65.93 Mbps | 66.91 Mbps | |
| TalkTalk | 18 Jan 2022 20:54:41 | 3 | 92 secs | 37.37 Mbps | 37.33 Mbps | |
| EE | 18 Jan 2022 20:45:38 | 4 | 4 mins | 7.67 Mbps | 3.86 Mbps | Needs help, very slow |
Summary of Internet Service Providers in Southampton
| # | Provider Name | Max Speed | Typical Speed Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cerberus Networks | 466.43 Mbps | 98.27—301.6 Mbps |
| 2 | toob | 946.59 Mbps | 61.94—474.74 Mbps |
| 3 | Hyperoptic | 916.47 Mbps | 85.48—382.16 Mbps |
| 4 | Virgin Media | 937.41 Mbps | 48.02—206.94 Mbps |
| 5 | FastNet | 276.11 Mbps | 23.47—66.7 Mbps |
| 6 | Vostron | 846.24 Mbps | 48.85—92.2 Mbps |
| 7 | Independent Fibre Networks | 351.36 Mbps | 34.08—116.03 Mbps |
| 8 | Glide | 189.41 Mbps | 16.3—92.88 Mbps |
| 9 | CIX | 472.79 Mbps | 29.87—35.14 Mbps |
| 10 | BT | 913.12 Mbps | 16.45—59.42 Mbps |
| 11 | Vodafone | 567.45 Mbps | 24.43—54.99 Mbps |
| 12 | CCS Leeds | 96.69 Mbps | 11.9—64.29 Mbps |
| 13 | Zen Internet | 532.43 Mbps | 17.59—71.18 Mbps |
| 14 | TalkTalk | 523.83 Mbps | 22.47—55.48 Mbps |
| 15 | Andrews & Arnold | 72.6 Mbps | 34.56—39.41 Mbps |
| 16 | Sky Broadband | 508.03 Mbps | 17.64—51.45 Mbps |
| 17 | EE | 465.56 Mbps | 15.77—46.9 Mbps |
| 18 | Plusnet | 74.72 Mbps | 15.77—55.54 Mbps |
| 19 | Spitfire | 81.1 Mbps | 1.99—24.41 Mbps |
| 20 | Shell Energy | 71.42 Mbps | 5.18—25.63 Mbps |
| 21 | iDNET | 1.82 Mbps | 0.53—0.89 Mbps |
Frequently Asked Questions about Internet Providers in Southampton
How many broadband providers in Southampton are there?
Southampton has 21 ISPs tested by its 252,796 residents.
Who is the fastest broadband provider in Southampton?
Hyperoptic is the fastest broadband provider in Southampton with 916.47 Mbps, and an average internet speed range of 85.48—382.16 Mbps.
Who is the best internet provider in Southampton?
The best internet provider in Southampton is toob, and their users typically see broadband speeds in the range of 61.94 to 474.74 Mbps.
What is the average internet speed in Southampton?
Users in Southampton see an average internet speed of 28.43 up to 393 Mbps, and the fastest speed we've seen is 946.59 Mbps.
Is Virgin Media available in Southampton?
Broadband service from Virgin Media is available in Southampton, and the fastest speed we've seen from them is 937.41 Mbps.
Is Sky Broadband available in Southampton?
Broadband service from Sky Broadband is available in Southampton, and the fastest speed we've seen from them is 508.03 Mbps.
Is TalkTalk available in Southampton?
Broadband service from TalkTalk is available in Southampton, and the fastest speed we've seen from them is 523.83 Mbps.
Is BT full fibre available in Southampton?
Yes, BT offers full fibre to the home (also called FTTH or FTTP) to 52 of Southampton's postcodes.
Who is the most popular broadband provider in Southampton?
The broadband provider with the most users in Southampton is Virgin Media.
Author: Thomas Buck
Last Reviewed By: Tyler Cooper
Published: 10 Nov 2019
Last Updated: 18 Jan 2022