Speed is based upon connection, download and upload of information. Speed also varies based upon individual factors. All the factors come together to help give a rough estimate of the overall UK broadband speed.

The following list explains all of the factors that goes into the final result of broadband speed.

- Type of Broadband. There are numerous types of broadband connections. ADSL and cable are the fastest. Other types like satellite are slower, but still faster than dial up. Even at the slowest rate broadband is still at least 10 times faster than dial up connections.

- Service provider. Some service providers can supply higher speeds. This can be due to better technology, equipment or location. Each provider will list their tops speeds for subscribers to see and this is an easy way for a person to ensure they are getting the best speed possible.

- Web Traffic. The internet is often referred to as the information highway. The reason for this is that all the information online travels through lines that work much like an actual highway. When there are a lot of people online these lines get crowded and the internet runs slower than usual. These times are referred to as peak hours. Peak hours usually occur after 7 am until 9 pm on weekdays and all weekend.

- Hardware. Hardware a person uses, from modems to cables can effect the internet speed. If a person is using outdated or damaged hardware then this will effect the efficiency and in the end, the speed of the connection.

- Personal computer. It is up to the individual to make sure that they keep their computer running smoothly. Each person should make sure that they clean their web browsers history, temporary files and cookies on a regular basis. This helps the computer to be able to work quicker. Also older computers do not have as much memory and therefore need to be cleaned more often so the internet can run quickly.

These four factors all come together to make broadband speed hard to pinpoint. One location could get greatly different results than another simply because of the varying factors.

When looking at UK broadband access speeds and all the factors that can effect them it is easy to see why it providers can not guarantee a speed.

Many providers give a range of speed where the connection speed will fall.

Most users will rarely, if ever, get the top speeds, due to the factors above. Even someone will the best equipment, location and service may not see the top speeds because some factors, like web traffic, can not be controlled by anyone.