Mobile broadband users in the U.K. experienced an average download speed of 1.5 Mbps. according to a study conducted by Ofcom between September and December 2010 in partnership with broadband monitoring specialists Epitiro. Basic webpages took on average 8.5 seconds to download.
However, in good 3G coverage areas, Ofcom found that average mobile broadband speeds were 2.1 Mbps, falling to an average of 1.7 Mbps during the peak evening period of 8-10pm. Basic web pages took on average 2.2 seconds to download.
This report looks specifically at the performance of mobile networks using dongles and datacards and does not consider smartphones. Ofcom is planning to undertake further research into mobile broadband, including the performance of smartphones.
Ofcom consumer research shows that 17 per cent of UK households are using mobile broadband to access online services, with 7 per cent using it as their only means of internet access, compared to 3 per cent in 2009.
The research involved over 4.2 million tests and measured average speeds as well as the performance of the five mobile operators in areas of good 3G network coverage.http://media.ofcom.org.uk/news/
