The average broadband speeds are 49 per cent lower than the average speeds internet service providers (ISPs) advertise.

Research by Ofcom based on ten million separate speed tests found the average speed was 3.6Mbit/s – compared to the average possible maximum speed of 4.3 Mbit/s and an average advertised speed of 7.2Mbit/s.

The regulator found on ‘up to 8Mbit/s’ packages – one in five subscribers receives an average speed of less than 2Mbit/s and on average the actual speed consumers receive is 45 per cent of the advertised headline speed.

Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards said: “We want to see all internet service providers meet the needs of their customers by clearly explaining what speeds they should expect and by ensuring that their networks meet consumers’ increasing demand for higher speed broadband.”

Despite the failure of ISPs to meet promised maximum speeds, 93 per cent of consumers were satisfied with their service.

However, slow connection speeds remained the biggest gripe, especially among those using programs and applications needing high speed connection.

Michael Phillips, Product Director, BroadbandChoices.co.uk said: “We’ve lobbied for years that the speed that users get compared to the speed that ISPs advertise users will get are wildly different.

“This reinforces what we’ve known for some time so the question is – what will Ofcom do with these findings to help drive change and champion the consumer’s cause?”

He went on to call for an independent speed measuring service to be made available to all consumers.

In the summer Ofcom and 32 ISPs established a code of conduct for the industry, making broadband providers give customers accurate estimates of their maximum speed when they buy and the option to switch to lower speed, and cheaper, deals if internet speeds advertised do not live up to expectations.