In a UK first, BT\u2019s networks have been independently proven to deliver the nation\u2019s best mobile and broadband connectivity at the same time.<\/p>\n
In a nationwide study analysing the performance of all major broadband providers, Ookla\u00ae found the Full Fibre network that delivers both BT and EE broadband to be the best in the UK \u2013 producing the fastest real-world speeds and highest-quality gaming experience.<\/p>\n
At the same time, RootMetrics\u00ae found EE \u2013 part of the BT family \u2013 retains its crown as the UK\u2019s best mobile network for a record-extending 13th year in a row.<\/p>\n
Consumer and Business customers of both brands are benefiting from BT\u2019s \u00a340 billion investment into the UK this decade, with Full Fibre and 5G+ being rolled out to millions more people, homes, and businesses.<\/p>\n
The results of two major studies analysing mobile and broadband network performance across the UK have been revealed, with BT and EE providing the best connectivity both in and out of the home \u2013 benefitting millions of people, communities, and businesses in every part of the country.<\/p>\n
More than 104 million individual tests were completed across the two studies, measuring broadband and mobile performance in towns, cities and rural communities in the UK, including at peak times when all networks are under the most pressure.<\/p>\n
The results mark a UK first, with BT\u2019s networks being independently proven to deliver both the nation\u2019s best performing broadband and mobile connectivity at the same time.<\/p>\n
The findings come as research shows more than three quarters of people in the UK (77%) feel isolated from friends, family and critical online services when they don\u2019t have effective internet connectivity. \u00b9 With more of daily life now dependent on reliable broadband and mobile coverage, the in-depth testing provides consumers and businesses with a clear view of which networks deliver the best real-world connectivity to meet their needs.<\/p>\n
Backed by BT\u2019s \u00a340 billion investment into the UK this decade, which will see its Full Fibre and EE\u2019s 5G+ network rolled out to millions more people, homes, and businesses, this record-breaking network performance has been achieved in the face of intense competition in both the broadband and mobile markets.<\/p>\n
Greg McCall, Chief Security and Networks Officer at BT, said: \u201cThese landmark studies are powerful proof that our investment in improving the UK\u2019s connectivity continues to deliver where it matters most \u2013 for families, businesses, and emergency services across the nation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhether you\u2019re at home, at work or on the move, resilient and reliable connectivity is essential to how we live our lives, powering the economy and shaping how we work, learn, keep entertained and stay safe. That\u2019s why we\u2019re bringing Full Fibre and 5G+ to millions more homes, communities, and businesses \u2013 so more people can benefit from accessing faster, stronger and more secure connectivity on the UK\u2019s best networks.\u201d<\/p>\n
Backing Britain with the UK\u2019s best broadband<\/p>\n
The first study by Ookla evaluated the performance of UK broadband networks to understand which major providers are delivering exceptional connectivity to their customers. Using crowdsourced data direct from users across the UK, Ookla generated an overall connectivity score for each operator, which consists of real-world network performance in several important areas, including speed, latency, web browsing, video streaming and gaming \u2013 including at peak times.<\/p>\n
The results found that BT\u2019s Full Fibre network, which powers the broadband experiences for both EE and BT customers, delivers:<\/p>\n
The UK\u2019s best broadband, winning the award for the first time and proving EE and BT customers are getting the highest-quality broadband performance.<\/p>\n
The UK\u2019s fastest broadband, recording the highest peak download speeds of any major provider and highest average upload speeds.<\/p>\n
The UK\u2019s best broadband gaming experience. EE and BT customers in Cardiff, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Leeds, Sheffield and Nottingham are among those getting the most responsive gaming performance with the lowest jitter. \u00b2<\/p>\n
BT\u2019s network division has long been a pioneer in fixed connectivity, consistently improving performance for both BT and EE broadband customers. From launching the UK\u2019s first nationwide Wi-Fi 7 service to bringing 8Gbps speeds to market on next-generation XGSPON broadband, in recent months its fixed network has been optimised for smarter in-home coverage and more reliable streaming, working and gaming, with new tools such as Wi-Fi Intelligence, Wi-Fi Optimiser and Cyber Threat Protect made available to give customers faster, stronger and safer connections.<\/p>\n
The total number of customer connections to BT\u2019s Full Fibre network has increased by 16% since the start of 2026, as more households and businesses rely on it to power their lives, workforces and critical operations. \u00b3<\/p>\n
Connecting communities with the UK\u2019s best mobile network<\/p>\n
A second separate study by RootMetrics\u00ae \u2013 one of the longest running in the UK which takes six months to complete \u2013 saw a team of independent analysts travel around the country examining mobile performance in real-life situations, completing 609,000 tests in a variety of locations and scenarios using shop-brought smartphones and SIMs.<\/p>\n
Designed to reflect real customer behaviour, the testing covered the UK\u2019s largest 16 cities, rural communities in each of the four nations, as well as 21,800 miles of roads, 722 indoor locations, and areas of high and low network congestion.<\/p>\n
The results found that:<\/p>\n
Overall, EE provides the most reliable mobile connectivity in more places than anyone else, naming it the UK\u2019s best mobile network for a record-extending 13 years in a row.<\/p>\n
EE has improved its performance in the last six months, now providing the best and fastest mobile connectivity in all 16 of the UK\u2019s largest cities, including Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Coventry, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield, and Southampton.<\/p>\n
EE continues to deliver the UK\u2019s best 5G experience with the most 5G availability and the highest average 5G download speeds (230.8 Mbps), which are nearly twice as fast as Virgin Media O2 and more than 32% faster than Vodafone.<\/p>\n
EE provides the UK\u2019s best mobile connectivity for video streaming, having improved its overall video performance in the last six months.<\/p>\n
EE customers also benefit from the best and most reliable gaming experience on any UK mobile network, with its low latency making gaming on the move smooth and more responsive. \u2074<\/p>\n
Recent months have seen several major improvements made to the EE mobile network, so consumers, businesses, and critical national services continue to benefit from greater reliability, faster speeds, and a more secure mobile experience wherever they are.<\/p>\n
These upgrades include expanding 5G+ coverage to a further six million people since January, upgrading the spectrum on 9,000 mobile sites to boost 5G and 5G+ performance, being the first to deliver reliable mobile signal to rural communities like those in Penmachno<\/a>, Clocaenog<\/a>, and Islay<\/a>, as well as rolling out pioneering innovations such as Advanced RAN Coordination (ARC)<\/a>, which is improving EE\u2019s mobile performance by up to 20% on average in the UK’s busiest cities, including London, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, Cardiff and Newcastle.<\/p>\n To see how all UK networks compared in both the mobile and broadband studies, you can access the full reports below:<\/p>\n