What could tech folks in the U.S. do to make this catch up?US ranks 28th in Internet connection speed: report
- Posted on - Tue Aug 25, 2009 7:03PM EDT
http://tech.yahoo.com/news/afp/20090825/tc_afp/ustelecombroadbanditinternet_20090825230334
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States ranks 28th in the world in average Internet connection speed and is not making significant progress in building a faster network, according to a report released on Tuesday.
The report by the Communications Workers of America (CWA) said the average download speed in South Korea is 20.4 megabits per second (mbps) -- four times faster than the US average of 5.1 mbps.
Japan trails South Korea with an average of 15.8 mbps followed by Sweden at 12.8 mbps and the Netherlands at 11.0 mbps, the report said.
It said tests conducted by speedmatters.org found the average US download speed had improved by only nine-tenths of a megabit per second between 2008 and 2009 -- from 4.2 mbps to 5.1 mbps.
"The US has not made significant improvement in the speeds at which residents connect to the Internet," the report said. "Our nation continues to fall far behind other countries."
My speed tested out at 14955 download and 4299 upload. I used to think that was pretty quick but compared to South Korea, I'm running at a snails pace.
What was your speed tested out at?
Also wondering about the benefit of fiber-optic cable internet if that is truly one of the fastest around?