Just how fast is your ‘high speed’ internet connection? We’re all being sold ‘best-ever’ packages and deals by providers, but new research says only around a third of us are happy with what’s actually being delivered.

New figures from Ofcom, the communications watchdog, says an impressive 84 per cent of the UK’s homes now have broadband connections with the average speed now topping out at around 12 megabytes per second. That’s unnecessary jargon for the thousands reading this, but it’s quick enough to download a music album in two minutes, or successfully watch a film on Netflix or a TV programme from BBC’s iPlayer in high definition without stuttering or delays as it downloads.

A rare weekend at home saw my relaxation and patience sorely tested by my previously reliable internet connection steadfastly refusing to let me catch up on a series of Louis Theroux documentaries that were shown while I was out of the country. With the time limit to watch soon expiring, it was that weekend or not at all, so the pressure was on. Having turned off the box of tricks that brings the internet into my home several times, and reset the laptop, I was still struggling. Despite paying for an ‘up to’ 16 megabytes service, an online speed tester service (http://www.speed test.net) saw I was only receiving four megabytes – just a quarter of the advertised service.

After a half hour call to my internet provider, patiently but persistently requesting my line, it turned out there had been a previous fault in my area of town and they had forgotten to derestrict my account. Without my call, it may have taken weeks, months or lord knows how long to discover their error. It was akin to a nice sports car restricted to push bike speeds.

Speeds can also vary at peak times, with new Ofcom data revealing that between 8 and 10pm at night, the average web connection slows down between five per cent and 15 per cent – which could also impact your usage.

Anybody with an internet connection can get access to an online speed tester, and I thoroughly recommend a regular check. The infrastructure that powers our connections continues to get busier – so it’s down to you to ensure you are getting what you pay for.