Original article ISPreview UK:Read More
New research from network testing firm Ookla, which operates the popular online Speedtest.net service for broadband users, has revealed that London Heathrow (LHR) in the UK ranks poorly for mobile broadband (4G/5G) and WiFi performance when compared with 48 major airports worldwide.
The study, which used data from speedtest.net that had been collected during Q1 2025, compared each airport’s speeds to the FCC’s (USA) broadband benchmark of 100Mbps download and 20Mbps upload to identify which locations deliver strong connectivity, and which fall short.
Out of the 48 airports with sufficient data on mobile broadband connectivity, only 21 met or exceeded the benchmark, compared to just 12 out of 41 for Wi-Fi. “This trend suggests mobile carriers may be prioritizing high-traffic locations like airports,” said Ookla. But such priority is hardly a secret and has always been true for mobile operators, which often focus upgrades on busy locations.
Overall, London Heathrow (LHR) was sadly the only UK airport able to make it into the table. The airport delivered an average (median) download speed via public WiFi of just 63.24Mbps (uploads of 65.14Mbps), which put it firmly in the bottom half of the table. As for mobile broadband speeds, LHR returned a download of 60.25Mbps (8Mbps upload) – or 90.1Mbps download when only looking at 5G – and found itself in the bottom quarter of the table.
