Scarborough Amongst Worst Areas For Internet Connection

Scarborough is in the top ten worst areas for internet connection according to new research.

The research, by casino experts AskGamblers.com analysed new Ofcom data on download speeds and access to Superfast and Ultrafast broadband in the UK’s 376 local authorities, and created an index to discover which areas had the worst internet connection of all.  

Scarborough ranked tenth-worst nationally with only areas of Scotland and Devon considered worse connected.

Down the road, Kingston upon Hull boasts the best internet connection in the UK, with the best combined download speed (171.4 Megabits per minute), and Superfast and Ultrafast broadband coverage. And while Scottish areas dominate the list of UK areas with the worst internet connection, the place with the second-best internet access in the UK also falls in Scotland. West Dunbartonshire boasts a download speed of 127.4 Megabits a minute, and 89.6% of its households have access to Ultrafast broadband – well above the UK average of 59%.  

Up the coast, Middlesbrough ranks third on the list with an average download speed of 111.4 Megabits per second as well as high rates of Superfast Broadband and Ultrafast Broadband. The area with the fourth best internet availability is North East Lincolnshire. The area boasts 96.7% availability for Superfast Broadband as well as 92.4% availability for Ultrafast Broadband. Stockton-on-Tees rounds out the top five areas in the UK with a great combination of Megabit download speed per second (115.1) and high rates of availability in the area for both Superfast Broadband (95.9%) and Ultrafast Broadband (89%).

Orkney Islands has the lowest percentage of premises connected to Superfast Broadband (64.3% compared to the UK average of 94%) and has just 1% of households with Ultrafast Broadband (compared to the UK average of 59%). Residents of Orkney Islands also face the slowest download speeds in the UK, at just 37.4 Megabits per second – the UK standard is 58.2 Megabits per second. 

Scotland dominates the list of top ten worst areas for internet connection in the UK, with half the areas falling in Scotland.  

Top 10 areas with the best internet connection  

Top 10 areas with the worst internet connection:

The Shetland Islands has the second poorest internet access in both Scotland and the UK. In the Shetland Islands, just 2.1% of premises have access to Ultrafast broadband, compared to the UK average of 59%, and the median download speed is 41 Megabits per second, compared to the UK average of 58.2 Megabits per second. 

Argyll and Bute places third on the UK’s list of areas with the worst internet access. The median download speed in Argyle and Bute is just 42.7 Megabits per second, while just 78.1% have access to Superfast broadband and just 1.8% have access to Ultrafast Broadband.  

Na H’Eilenan Siar comes fourth on the list of areas with the worst internet access in the UK. Only 4.5% have access to Ultrafast broadband, while the median download speed is just 42.1 Megabits per second. Dumfries and Galloway also has some of the poorest internet in the UK.  

A spokesperson for AskGamblers.com commented on the findings: 

“This data gives us a compelling insight into just how significant the digital divide is across the UK. Everything we do as a society, from entertainment, work and daily living, is so intertwined with the internet, and the importance of fair digital access for all should never be underestimated. While some parts of the UK are faring well in terms of internet access and connection, it is concerning to see many areas failing to reach average download speed and access to decent broadband”