London's least affluent neighbourhoods have higher median mobile download speeds than its wealthiest areas, according to Ookla. Yet the capital ranks last among 18 European capitals for median mobile download speed.
Ookla's analysis found median download speeds of 107.27 Mbps in London's least affluent neighbourhoods, compared with 96.01 Mbps in its most affluent areas. The findings are part of a study examining how mobile connectivity varies across the capital and why operators are struggling to expand network capacity.
The research used Speedtest Intelligence data covering 2018 to the third quarter of 2026, alongside background signal measurements and official statistics.
Ookla examined 4,994 London neighbourhoods, ranking them using England's Index of Multiple Deprivation, which measures several aspects of deprivation rather than income alone.
London's Mobile Download Speeds Vary by Neighbourhood
The difference between the two groups sits within a bigger picture of uneven mobile performance across the capital.
Ookla found that London had dropped from seventh place among 18 European capitals for median download speed in 2021 to last place in the third quarter of 2026.
London recorded a median mobile download speed of 109.43 Mbps during that period, while its median upload speed stood at 11.40 Mbps.
The capital also recorded the highest latency under load for the worst-performing 10 per cent of samples, reaching 2,204 milliseconds. Latency measures how long data takes to travel between a device and a network, while latency under load shows how that performance changes when a connection is busy.
The research also showed the changing performance of London's 5G networks. Median 5G download speeds peaked at 200 Mbps in the second quarter of 2021, fell to 102 Mbps in the third quarter of 2023 and recovered to 133 Mbps by the third quarter of 2026.
Over the same period, the share of tests conducted on 5G rose from 41 per cent to 80 per cent.
Ookla's findings suggest that wider access to 5G has not necessarily translated into faster connections, particularly as demand for mobile data increases. Paris, by comparison, has maintained median 5G download speeds above 225 Mbps since mid-2021, according to the analysis.
Population Density and 5G Access Help Explain the Gap
Ookla found that London's least affluent neighbourhoods were more than twice as densely populated as its most affluent areas. They also had around two-fifths less tree cover, while land within conservation areas accounted for about half as much of their area.
Phones in the least affluent group spent 78 per cent of tests connected to 5G, compared with 74 per cent in the most affluent group. These differences provide context for the contrasting speed measurements, although they do not establish a single cause for the gap.
The relationship between population density and mobile performance is not straightforward.
More people can mean more potential customers and greater demand on nearby mobile cells, but the location of users, the number of available sites and the capacity of individual networks also affect the experience.
Buildings can create additional complications.
Dense blocks of flats may make it harder for signals to reach people indoors, while trees and other physical obstacles can affect signal propagation. Ookla's analysis indicates that these factors do not explain the neighbourhood results on their own.
But the findings should not be interpreted as evidence that every resident in a less affluent area receives a faster connection than someone in a wealthier neighbourhood.
The figures compare median speeds across groups and do not describe every operator, device, location or individual connection.
Network Congestion Adds Pressure Across the Capital
London's connectivity problems are particularly visible in its central business districts.
The City of London and Westminster have approximately 1.5 million jobs but around 213,000 residents, according to the research.
On weekdays, median download speeds in the central areas fell to 80.07 Mbps at 1pm, which was 27 per cent below weekend levels at the same time. Latency under load also rose by 26 per cent. The pattern shows how commuter traffic can increase demand on networks during working hours.
Expanding capacity has also become more difficult.
Applications for new street masts in London have fallen by more than four-fifths since 2022, while almost three-quarters of applications for new street masts decided since 2019 were refused, according to Ookla. The comparable refusal rate for upgrades was about one-fifth.
The report also describes how rooftop sites can become unavailable when buildings are redeveloped, leaving operators needing to find replacement locations. Planning constraints, access to suitable sites and growing demand are among the challenges facing network expansion.
The Mayor of London's draft London Plan proposes measures intended to protect mobile connectivity during construction and encourage better cooperation between boroughs and operators over potential mast locations. The plan is due for adoption in 2028.
Ookla's neighbourhood figures offer a snapshot of how mobile performance differs across London. They also sit alongside another finding that despite widespread 5G use, the capital's networks have struggled to keep pace with demand and have fallen behind their European counterparts.
