London behind other UK cities in 4G and broadband speeds

London's 4G and broadband speeds are slower than many smaller cities across the UK, a fact labelled 'quite embarrassing' according to a new study.

A report by the London Assembly (which can be found on this link), found that London's connectivity is lower than that in York, Coventry and Edinburgh. In some areas, like Rotherhithe in Southwark, there are "not-spots" and "digital deserts" (places with no connectivity at all).

Chair of the Regeneration Committee, Navin Shah, says the situation is "frankly embarrassing in some areas," according to The Register. The capital is also ranked 30 out of 63 when it comes to higher broadband speeds.

In terms of 4G coverage, it is ranking in bottom five of UK cities with less than three quarters (73.6 percent) of coverage.

In a separate report, Which? also said that some boroughs, like Southwark, Westminster, Lambeth, Hackney and the City of London, have speeds much lower than the average 17Mbps.

Ed Vaizey, former broadband minister, said the report was irrelevant as just a third of people decided for a superfast broadband.

The report says London’s Chief Digital Officer must make sure Londoners can make "well-informed decisions" about their connectivity needs.

Shah said: "We need to act before it’s too late and London’s success is threatened. More can be done to solve London’s connectivity problems and with the imminent appointment of the Chief Digital Officer, the Mayor can provide real strategic leadership in this essential area."

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