9.4 million Brits are set to experience slower broadband as kids finish school for the summer[1], with school-aged children expected to spend an additional 76 hours online over the holidays.

British households are juggling on average five internet connected devices at once according to new research by Uswitch.com, and the summertime spike in broadband usage is only intensifying this pressure.

Parents with under 18s are more impacted by summer internet slowdown, with more than a quarter (27%) reporting slower broadband speeds during the summer months.

The increased broadband use is causing noticeable slowdowns. A third (32%) report more frequent issues during the summer holidays, such as websites taking longer to load (15%), streamed videos buffering and pausing (13%) and longer download times (11%).

Map showing the cities across Britain most and least hit by slower broadband speeds in the school summer holidays.

placeholder image — Map showing the cities across Britain most and least hit by slower broadband speeds in the school summer holidays.

Edinburgh has emerged as the UK city experiencing the greatest slowdown in broadband speed (26%), followed by London (23%) and Plymouth (23%).

While younger users often drive the trend of multi-screen usage, over half (56%) of British adults admitted they were actually the biggest bandwidth hogs in their homes.

Understandably, Brits are becoming frustrated, with nearly a third (31%) of those who have experienced broadband issues during the summer holidays resorting to using their mobile data instead of Wi-Fi, and many parents of under 18s (30%) reporting their children are becoming impatient with slow internet speeds. Almost a fifth (18%) have been left unable to watch their favourite show, with broadband issues leading to arguments among family members (17%).

Broadband lags go beyond entertainment, also impacting productivity. One in seven (15%) of those who have experienced broadband issues during the summer holiday report glitches during work calls and more than one in ten (11%) have even reported missing work deadlines.

Despite this, only a fifth (20%) have decided to take control to limit who uses their home broadband at peak times to avoid these disruptions. In a cheeky bid to stay connected, some Brits (4%) have even confessed to changing their Wi-Fi password without telling anyone else in their house.

Ernest Doku, broadband expert at Uswitch.com, comments: “With more devices online than ever, households need to make sure that their broadband is up to the task this summer.

“When kids are home from school, the sheer volume of simultaneous streaming, gaming, and video calls puts immense pressure on shared networks, leading to noticeable slowdowns and buffering at all times of the day.

“Simple fixes like limiting the number of connected devices, disconnecting any you’re not using, turning off HD streaming or scheduling online gaming to off-peak hours can also make a real difference.

“If you’re still facing slow speeds, it’s a good idea to run a speed test and make sure you’re getting the speeds you pay for within your package.

“Your provider should always give you a minimum guaranteed speed for your broadband service. For superfast broadband products, this is now based on the capability of the line going directly into your home or office.

“If you think your broadband is slower than it should be, contact your provider to identify the problem. If the issue lies within their network, and they can’t fix it within 30 days, they must offer you the right to exit your contract without being penalised."

Visit Uswitch.com to check your broadband speed and for tips on managing bandwidth this summer.