Broadband speed jargon — Mbps, FTTC, FTTP, superfast, ultrafast, gigabit — is designed for marketing, not clarity. Here is what each term actually means and how it affects your daily experience.
Key Terms Decoded
| Term | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mbps | Megabits per second (speed) | The main speed metric |
| Gbps | Gigabits per second | 1,000 Mbps |
| ADSL | Oldest copper technology | Up to 24Mbps; being phased out |
| FTTC | Fibre to the cabinet (part-fibre) | Up to 80Mbps typically |
| FTTP | Fibre to the premises (full-fibre) | Up to 1,000Mbps+ |
| Superfast | Ofcom definition: 30Mbps+ | Most FTTC qualifies |
| Ultrafast | Ofcom definition: 300Mbps+ | Most FTTP qualifies |
| Gigabit | 1,000Mbps (1Gbps) | Available on FTTP networks |
| Upload | Speed sending data out | Important for video calls, cloud |
| Download | Speed receiving data | Affects streaming, browsing |
Download Speed — What Mbps Means in Practice
| Speed | What you can do | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|
| Under 10Mbps | Basic browsing; email | 1 person, light use |
| 10–30Mbps | HD streaming on 1–2 devices | 1–2 people |
| 30–80Mbps | Multiple simultaneous HD streams, video calls | 2–3 people |
| 100–300Mbps | 4K streaming, gaming, home working | 3–4 people, multiple devices |
| 300Mbps–1Gbps | Future-proofed; multiple 4K streams, large file uploads | 4+ people, heavy users |
FTTC vs FTTP — What the Technology Difference Means for You
FTTC (part-fibre):
- Fibre from exchange to street cabinet; copper from cabinet to your home
- Speed drops with distance from cabinet — you may get significantly less than the advertised maximum
- “Up to 76Mbps” packages often deliver 30–50Mbps in practice
- Available to approximately 95% of UK premises
FTTP (full-fibre):
- Fibre all the way to your home
- Speed is consistent regardless of distance
- “Up to 500Mbps” deals reliably deliver speeds close to the stated maximum
- Available to approximately 55% of UK premises in 2026; expanding rapidly
If FTTP is available at your address, it is worth choosing over FTTC — even if you don’t need gigabit speeds. The consistency and lower fault rate are the real benefits.
Guaranteed Minimum Speed — Your Consumer Right
Under Ofcom rules, every broadband provider must:
- State a guaranteed minimum download speed in your contract
- Fix the problem within 30 days if your speed falls below this
- Allow you to exit penalty-free if they cannot fix it within 30 days
If you suspect you’re getting below your guaranteed minimum, run a speed test at speedtest.net during peak time (8–10pm weekday evenings) for several consecutive days and log the results. Contact your provider with this evidence.
Why Advertised Speed Differs from Actual Speed
- FTTC distance loss: The longer the copper line from street cabinet to your home, the slower your speed
- Router placement: Wi-Fi speed varies by distance and obstacles — use a wired Ethernet connection for a true speed test
- Contention: At peak times, shared network capacity is lower
- Time of day: Speeds are typically lower 7–10pm weekday evenings
For how much speed your household actually needs, see What Is a Good Broadband Speed?.
How to Test Your Broadband Speed
Run a speed test at speedtest.net or fast.com. For accurate results:
- Use a wired Ethernet connection, not Wi-Fi — Wi-Fi introduces its own speed ceiling based on router and device capability
- Run the test at peak time (8–10pm on weekday evenings) — this reflects real-world performance, not best-case
- Run it several times over different days and average the results
- Close other applications that might be using bandwidth (streaming, cloud backups)
Compare the result against your contract’s guaranteed minimum speed. If you consistently fall below it, you have the right to report it and ultimately to exit your contract without penalty if the provider cannot resolve it within 30 days.
Broadband Speed Glossary
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Mbps | Megabits per second — the standard unit of broadband speed |
| Gbps | Gigabits per second — 1,000Mbps; used for top-tier FTTP packages |
| Download speed | How fast data arrives at your device (web, streaming, downloads) |
| Upload speed | How fast data leaves your device (video calls, cloud backups) |
| Latency (ping) | Delay in milliseconds — important for gaming and video calls |
| FTTC | Fibre to the Cabinet — fibre to the street, copper to the home |
| FTTP | Fibre to the Premises — full-fibre all the way to your home |
| ADSL | Old copper-only broadband; speeds typically 5–17Mbps |