U.S. broadband internet speeds lag behind other nations
August 26, 2009
Most broadband internet connections in the U.S. are slower than in other advanced countries, according to a new broadband speed report from the Communications Workers of America (CWA).
CWA research indicates that between 2007 and 2009, the average download internet speed in the U.S. increased by only 1.6 megabits per second (mbps), from 3.5 mbps to 5.1 mbps. At this rate, it will take 15 years for the U.S. to catch up with South Korea, the country with the fastest average broadband connections.
The Speed Matters Speed Test shows that only 20 percent of those who took the test have high speed internet in the range of the top ranked countries, including South Korea, Japan and Sweden. About 18 percent of U.S. connections do not meet the FCC definition for basic broadband as an always-on internet connection of at least 768 kbps downstream.
Where a customer lives is a good indicator of internet connection speed. The five fastest states are Delaware, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New York.
However, if you live in a Southern or Western state, access to high speed internet is less likely. Mississippi, South Carolina, Arkansas, Idaho and Alaska have some of the slowest broadband internet connection speeds, according to the study.
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