Fibre Upload Speed - why so low compared to download?

[Wurst1]

We've been with Sky Full Fibre 500/Ultrafast Plus for several months, and in terms of reliability and speed it's generally been okay. Our minimum guaranteed download speed is 400mb, and we get around 450mb-500mb most days.

Our upload speed is around 45mb-65mb.

Which leads me to the question - why are Sky's fibre upload speed so much lower than the download speed we get?

I've used residential fibre in other countries where their upload and download speeds are almost idential - 500/450, even 999/950.

Why is this? Is there any way to change it using a router? 

Thanks

[TimmyBGood]

@Wurst1 

Fundamentally because the wholesale broadband providers on the Openreach network in the UK don't offer symmetrical connections at domestic prices to their ISP client companies. Changing the router can have no effect because the asymmetry is inherent to the underlying service: only moving to business ('leased line') provision at significantly higher monthly cost gets faster upload relative to download.  You'll find this is the case with all Openreach ISPs, not just Sky.

Altnet ISPs are much more likely to offer symmetrical service on their own private networks because they aren't reliant on wholesale purchase and so have complete control over their products.

[Fearitself]

There are isp's that are cheaper than sky and offer symmetrical speeds. Quick Google will show plenty. Trooli offers symmetric speeds and is cheaper than sky. I will be joining them when my contract with sky ends in mid September. 

[TimmyBGood]

@Fearitself 

Trooli is an altnet full fibre ISP laying its own cable in a limited geographical area: as I mentioned above such operations can offer symmetrical service at domestic prices because they aren't using the national Openreach network.