Average, advertised and minimum broadband speed: which should you compare?
The word “speed” can describe a plan, a radio link, a download or a population average. Compare like with like before concluding your service is underperforming.
When this helps
- Your download app shows a different number from your speed test.
- A national broadband ranking seems much faster than your connection.
Mbps and MB/s are different units
One byte contains eight bits. A download shown as 10 MB/s corresponds to 80 Mbps before accounting for measurement differences.
Do not compare a download rate in bytes per second directly with a plan advertised in bits per second.
Read the label beside the number
| Label | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Maximum or up to | Is this a theoretical limit or an address-specific estimate? |
| Typical evening speed | Which time window and customer group does it describe? |
| Minimum guaranteed speed | What conditions and measurement point does the contract specify? |
| National average | Which technology, population, period and method were sampled? |
| Wi-Fi link rate | What throughput does the device actually achieve? |
Why a national average is not a diagnosis
A volunteer measurement panel and a self-selected speed-test sample represent different groups. Mixing fibre, mobile and satellite results can hide important differences.
Keep each statistic’s date, population and method with the number. Use repeated measurements of your own connection for troubleshooting.
Choose the comparison that answers your question
For a local Wi-Fi issue, compare wired and wireless tests. For a contract concern, start with your plan and repeatable measurements.
Sources
- Cloudflare: what a speed test measures
- ACCC: broadband speeds
- Ofcom: broadband faults, minimum speeds and complaints
Checked on 3 November 2026.