Millions of internet users in the UK are familiar with the common issue of online congestion, particularly during peak hours in the evening. This congestion often results in slower speeds as more people try to access the internet simultaneously for activities like streaming, downloading, and video calling.
During off-peak hours, such as during the day when fewer users are online, internet speeds tend to be faster and more reliable. However, as households start to log on after work in the evening, local networks can become overloaded, causing a noticeable slowdown in speeds.
To illustrate, broadband operates similarly to a motorway – the more traffic it has at once, the slower the overall movement. This explains why many users experience a significant decrease in performance between 7pm and 11pm.
A recent study conducted by Broadband Genie has identified the UK regions most impacted by these peak-time slowdowns, with Wigan (WN1) ranking at the top. According to the report, broadband users in Wigan see their average download speeds drop from 167Mbps during off-peak times to just 75Mbps in the evening, marking a 55% decrease.
Other areas significantly affected by evening congestion include Galashiels (TD1), Harrogate (HG1), Exeter (EX1), and Rochester (ME1).
In contrast, some regions in the UK experience an improvement in internet speeds during peak hours. Newport emerged as the top-performing area in the study, followed by Oxford, Glasgow, Blackburn, and Cambridge.
Broadband Genie emphasized the similarity between road congestion and internet network congestion, highlighting the analysis of 144,509 broadband speed tests to pinpoint locations where performance changes the most during peak times. Wigan stood out with the largest speed drop of 55% during peak hours.
The report also noted regional variations across the UK, with Scotland leading in overall broadband performance improvements during the evening. Meanwhile, Wales and the East of England also demonstrated strong evening performance.
On the flip side, the South West region experienced a decline of around 15% in average speeds during peak hours compared to daytime performance.
Experts suggest that households can enhance their home internet connections by placing routers in open, central locations away from obstructions to improve signal quality. Providers like Virgin Media recommend regular router reboots to address temporary network issues and maintain a smoother connection.