RESIDENTS and businesses in a Cornish town are are battling with the slowest broadband speeds in the entire UK, a new national study has revealed – highlighting a growing digital divide that continues to leave rural communities behind.

According to analysis by Broadband Genie, which reviewed over 348,000 real-world speed tests from across the UK, Lostwithiel recorded an average broadband speed of just 2Mbps.

That’s slower than many mobile data connections and even struggles to support basic online activities such as streaming, video calls or uploading files. In fact, the speeds are so poor, they fall below the minimum required to stream even the lowest quality content on Netflix.

For the people of Lostwithiel, this isn’t just a minor inconvenience, it’s a daily struggle. In a town where many are self-employed, work remotely or rely on online services for

The issue stands in stark contrast to what’s technically possible. According to Broadband Genie, 97 per cent of properties in Cornwall have access to superfast broadband (30Mbps+) and 66 per cent can even access full fibre speeds of over 1Gbps. However, many residents either are not aware of what’s available, or providers haven’t reached certain addresses, especially in more rural or historic parts of towns like Lostwithiel.

The broader picture across Cornwall is also troubling. While the county averages a speed of 75Mbps – ranking 86th out of 131 UK regions – 23 per cent of users still receive speeds below 10Mbps, while 11 per cent fall under 3Mbps, far below what the government deems acceptable.

The slowest internet providers in Cornwall were found to be EE and Plusnet, clocking average speeds of 17Mbps and 23Mbps respectively. Meanwhile, local provider Wildanet topped the speed charts with an average of 157Mbps, thanks to its growing full-fibre network. Other top-performing providers include BT (112Mbps) and Virgin Media (104Mbps).

A spokesperson for Broadband Genie said: “Broadband customers shouldn’t have to put up with a sub-par service, especially when broadband providers continue to raise prices for bill payers.

“Our analysis indicates many customers could be unnecessary suffering with sluggish broadband. If you haven’t reviewed your broadband deal in over two years, it’s likely you can upgrade to something faster at no extra cost, or in some cases, save money.

“It’s never been easier to switch your broadband, just complete the checkout process and in most cases, your new provider will do all the legwork and cancel your old contract. If you don’t have fibre broadband in your area, options you can look into include a mobile broadband router for your home using 4 or 5G or satellite broadband, although setup costs for this are quite hefty.”

Residents are advised to explore alternatives like switching providers, upgrading to fibre (if available), or even using mobile broadband routers where fibre is not yet rolled out. Satellite broadband is also an option, though setup costs can be steep.

Broadband Genie, which was launched in 2024, is an independent switching site providing consumers and businesses with practical help, advice and price comparison for home broadband, mobile broadband, phones, TV services and mobile accessories.