How fast is mobile broadband? A guide to 5G and 4G speeds

Author: Emma Davenport

Last updated: 03 September 2024

When you're looking for a home broadband deal, chances are you'll be drawn in by the speed. Mobile broadband is no different.

But how fast is it? While home broadband is advertised with clear average speeds, how long are you going to be waiting for a website to load if you're on a 4G or 5G connection?

Let's investigate…

How fast is 4G mobile broadband and 5G mobile broadband?

Late in 2012, EE launched the UK's first 4G mobile broadband service, with the rest following in autumn 2013. More recently, we've seen the launch of next-generation 5G services. Both 4G and 5G deliver a significantly quicker speed than the older 3G networks.

And what kind of performance can you expect from these networks? A good source of information is OpenSignal, which uses real-world data and produces regular reports.

Here are its average 5G download and upload speeds from September 2023:

OpenSignal's mobile network experience report also provides average mobile internet speeds for each network, regardless of the technology used. This is a more realistic picture of what you can expect day-to-day as you move between 4G and 5G signals.

If you want to check your mobile broadband speed, you can do so with our broadband speed test tool, just as you would with a fixed line connection.

To find out more about how you can make best use of mobile broadband services at home, read our guide to 5G Home Broadband.

• What are download speeds?

  Download speeds are the rate at which data is transferred to your device from a mobile internet service provider (ISP). That data could be anything! From browsing a web page to downloading an MP3 track or streaming Netflix.

• What are upload speeds?

  Upload speed is the rate at which data from your device can be sent to the internet. Examples of uploads include posting content such as holiday pics to Facebook or adding videos to YouTube.
  
  For most of us, especially when it comes to mobile broadband speed, download is the most important figure. But while upload speeds often fall into the background as far as advertising is concerned, they can be crucial to people who do a lot of uploading — such as those working remotely from home.

What affects 5G and 4G speeds?

Many things can impact your mobile data speed. This can include:

• Network coverage in the area
• Amount of network traffic at any given time
• Weather conditions
• Whether you're on the move, or static
• Interference from other devices

But network coverage is the biggest factor. However tempting an offer a mobile broadband provider puts in front of you, it's worthless if it has weak or no coverage in the area that you'll be using it.

Before you sign a mobile broadband contract, you should check network coverage for each provider using these links:

• Three network coverage
• EE network coverage
• O2 Coverage and network status
• Vodafone network coverage

Pay close attention to your home, your workplace and any other areas you visit frequently. You can also use the 3G / 4G / 5G UK coverage map from nperf for a quick comparison of all UK network providers.

Will mobile broadband be fast enough for me?

Mobile broadband can be as reliable as a fixed link connection when you're in a spot with a strong 4G or 5G signal, but often you'll find it delivers slower and less consistent speed.

Mobile broadband is still a fantastic product once you realise its limitations. While serious gamers and data-hungry businesses won't be cancelling their fixed-line broadband deals in a hurry, an average 4G broadband speed will be more than enough for many online tasks. 

In fact, speeds of a few megabits per second should be sufficient for browsing the web, checking email, downloading a few songs, and even watching the odd bit of streaming TV.

If you can handle the occasional drop in service and aren't always in a massive hurry for your data, mobile broadband, including 5G and 4G home broadband services from the likes of Three, could be a good choice for you.

Can mobile broadband be used for online gaming?

It's possible to use mobile broadband for gaming. Online gaming relies on good 'ping' or 'response' times, and a mobile connection is capable of providing this, so long as you have a strong signal. 

Out of all four mobile networks in the UK, EE and Vodafone currently rank slightly higher for games experience, based on data published by Opensignal.

Gaming can be a data-intensive hobby, especially as it now involves downloading the game itself. If you're downloading games over mobile broadband, be careful not to go over your data limit - there could be expensive consequences.

Unlike fixed-line broadband, where unlimited deals are cheap and readily available, there are fewer unlimited mobile broadband services.

Which UK provider offers the fastest mobile broadband speed?

Be aware that you’re unlikely to guaranteed to achieve the fastest speed possible with a 5G or 4G mobile broadband service. Instead, you will be presented with an estimated maximum speed before you sign up. 

In its September 2023 report, Opensignal found Three to be the fastest mobile broadband operator in the UK, with average download speeds on its 5G network of 205.5Mb.