The latest tests from Ookla have revealed that Three Mobile is leading the way in providing fast download speeds for on-the-go streaming in the UK. Three outperformed its major competitors, securing the top spot with an average download speed of 214Mbps, which is 80Mbps faster than its closest rival. This speed is twice as fast as the UK’s fixed-line broadband average, showcasing Three’s strong performance in overall speeds. Following Three, Vodafone claimed the second position, with EE ranking third. O2 lagged behind, offering the slowest speeds across all categories.
According to Ookla, Three has been recognized as the Fastest 5G Network in the United Kingdom for Q3–Q4 2025. The Speedtest Award for Fastest Network evaluates a network’s throughput and responsiveness by considering download and upload speeds along with latency metrics.
Here is a summary of the Ookla results:
– Overall Speed Score:
– Three: 53.46
– Vodafone: 43.05
– EE: 36.73
– O2: 30.70
– Median download speeds:
– Three: 214Mbps
– Vodafone: 129.78Mbps
– EE: 97Mbps
– O2: 78.92Mbps
– Median upload speeds:
– Three: 13.8Mbps
– Vodafone: 10.78Mbps
– EE: 10.96Mbps
– O2: 8.28Mbps
While these results position Three at the top, it’s important to note that testing mobile networks can be challenging due to users’ constant movement and changing network conditions. Despite these challenges, Three’s performance is commendable, and further enhancements are expected following its merger with Vodafone. The newly consolidated VodafoneThree aims to create the UK’s premier mobile network through an £11 billion investment.
Since the merger, VodafoneThree has started integrating the networks using “Multi-Operator Core Network” technology. This integration allows seamless connectivity between Vodafone and Three networks at no additional cost, potentially leading to expanded coverage and improved performance nationwide.