Report reveals 45 per cent increase in broadband speeds during 2014

A new report has shown that the average broadband speed in the UK increased by 45 per cent over the course of 2013.

The uptake - which was detailed in Akamai's The State of the Internet study - is largely down to the widespread rollouts that have taken place as part of the government's Broadband Delivery UK scheme, reports the Telegraph.

Homes and businesses in Britain now have an average download speed of 9.1 Mbps, a figure well above the global reading of 3.6 Mbps.

The report also produced a new league table, ranking every nation in order based on the broadband speeds they can offer residents. This led to the UK being placed 11th in the overall table and ranked as the sixth best connected country in Europe.

Report Editor David Belson said: "Connectivity has seen strong increases over the last year in most countries, and that points to improved quality, availability and affordability of broadband connection."