Akamai Publishes Stats on Yearly Broadband Growth. US Still Embarrassing
Akamai Publishes Stats on Yearly Broadband Growth. US Still Embarrassing
Posted 01/14/2010 at 2:29pm
| by Bart Salisbury
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For us in the United States it looks like being a Slowsky is about as good as it gets, regardless of what Comcast might offer otherwise. Akamai just released its State of the Internet report for the third quarter of 2009, and while the trend for many is upward on broadband speed, to the surprise of few the United States isn’t in among that group.
As technologically sophisticated as the United States is--we who invented the Internet--it only ranks 18th in terms of overall broadband speed, with an average of 3.9 Mbps, well below the top ten threshold of 4.8 Mbps, and way distant from number one South Korea’s 14.6 Mbps. That may be fast enough to stream some low bit-rate music, but it isn’t going to cut it when demand for streaming video hits its stride. While the U.S. third quarter average is higher than the second quarter by 1.8%, it is 2.4 percent slower than the third quarter of 2008.
Akamai goes on to note that only 24 percent of U.S. broadband is above 5 Mbps, with the luckiest of us, on average, living on the east coast: Delaware, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, and New York.
If it feels like you’re living your Internet life in the slow lane, there’s a good chance you are. And your aren’t the only one.
Image Credit: Akamai
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Digihotaru
January 15, 2010 at 6:37pm
I just moved back to Nor. Cal. from Japan where I was on 100Mb/s synchronous fiber for the last four years. The adjustment is very difficult.
k11k
January 14, 2010 at 7:49pm
We heard about how some small city is starting thier own fiber internet service. I say screw comcrap and cr"att"p, get your city to build a fiber and charge for service. That way the broke US city can get some money and that in turn bring in more jobs. If they can get me same speed as the top 5, I'll gradly pay for their service. Another way is for them to bulid the network and charge for the use, so that we can have more competition. Unlike our stupid goverment just giving these worthless compaines money to build thier own private network and not let competitors in, plus what do we the people get out of this with our tax money, a slow internet and price hike.
sanravel
January 14, 2010 at 7:30pm
All of the countries above the USA in broadband speeds are also smaller than most states. Consider the size of the US and getting the infrastructure out to where everyone lives. Comparable size countries aren't on the part of the chart that's visible. China, Australia, Canada, Russia, Brazil come to mind. Are any of these in 11 thru 17?
Cy-Kill
January 14, 2010 at 7:38pm
Canada has provinces & territories bigger than most US states, heck, Canada itself is bigger than any US state, and we also have faster broadband speed!
Cy-Kill
Cy-Kill
January 15, 2010 at 4:16am
That's so we can stop Americans from trying to invade Canada again, and if they try again we'll just sack the White House again!
Cy-Kill
Cy-Kill
January 14, 2010 at 7:04pm
Where can we find the full uncut list, one that doesn't skip right to you slowpokes in the US?
Cy-Kill
RtDK
January 14, 2010 at 5:19pm
So when does this government OF the people, BY the people, FOR the people, begin stepping in to give us the best in the world--which we are certainly capable of?
If South Korea, Romania, and Sweden can do it, then by all means, what's holding us up?
Don't answer that--it's greed.
Come on US! Get with the program!
ThunderBolt
January 14, 2010 at 5:04pm
I'm in NYC using FIOS, pay steady $57.99 for 20Mbits down, 5Mbits up. That's what's advertised at least. I actually get 21 down, and 4.5 up.
Other choices are Time Warner Cable, which I had, and Optimum Online, which is only available at some areas (Bronx) where other providers aren't. All cable providers charge similar ~$50 for 5Mbits down and 768k up.
Scootiep
January 14, 2010 at 6:17pm
That stinks, out here in Ames Iowa, I'm getting 20-22 down, 6ish up direct connect and 18.5 down, 1.7 up wireless for $27.95 (buldled with digital cable + sports pack, and free long distance calling plan each $27.95 for a total of $92 a month w/ tax). Granted it's Mediacom and they have piss poor customer service, but at least they haven't tried to raise my rates like my previous Direct TV/Qwest deal did.
To start press any key...ohh, where's the "Any" key. - Homer Simpson
Vegan
January 14, 2010 at 5:47pm
I'm in West Hollywood and I pay almost what you pay, but for 10 down / 1 up.
:sad face:
gymbeau2000
January 14, 2010 at 3:22pm
I think the real problem is that there are NO options in most of the US. I live here in the Seattle area and you only really have one choice and thats Comcast. Down a little further south we had Comcast, Qwest & a small provider or two. Comcast monopolises the market, so you can ask what ther true down speed is, but it doesn't matter if you don't have another choice.
It's so bad sometimes that I turn on wireless thether on my G1 when Comcast is lagging. Now that's sad.
nekollx
January 14, 2010 at 2:47pm
Didn'tcomcast say their infestructure was on par with the rest of the world not to long ago? i guess "on par" mean "lower end of top 20"
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admobadmo
January 17, 2010 at 12:33pm
I suppose "rest of the world" would average in countries like Ethiopia and maybe Antarctica or, possibly now (don't take this the wrong way, please) Haiti.
lunchbox73
January 14, 2010 at 2:45pm
Hmm. Maybe because IT'S SO EXPENSIVE!
I pay $25 a month for RoadRunner Lite. It's a measly 768k down. Yeah, I know that was the cost of dial-up not too long ago but for that speed I think it's way overpriced. I'm thinking $9.99 a month.
My TW bill is almost $125 a month with digital cable, one HD DVR, and my internet. Sure I'd love to get the fastest connection they offer with "power boost" but I just can't afford it. I've been debating on whether or not I just axe my TV bill so I can get faster internet or just deal with it.
768K isn't too bad for most needs. Yeah, it takes a while to download games from Steam and my kid is lagging on his xbox while I'm doing it but it's still decent. But for $25 a month I feel like I should be getting more.
aviaggio
January 14, 2010 at 5:22pm
See this is the part that Akamai leaves out -- the COST. In countries that show these super fast speeds broadband is heavily subsidized by the government, so the consumer cost is low. The other side is that because in many of these places Internet is considered a public utility the government spends a lot of money upgrading the infrastructure and isn't concerned with turning a profit.
Now here in the US it's all about money. I can get 10 mbit service for like $60. That's crazy. But what choice do you have? Cable or DSL, they pretty much cost the same.
And since these companies are more interested in profits than building infrastructure, don't expect our speeds to get much faster or our prices to come down anytime soon.
rseding91
January 14, 2010 at 2:57pm
25$ a month for REAL 767kB download isn't bad. We are paying 30$ a month for 660KB down.
I HATE the whole "connection speed" vs "download speed" crap with internet/networks. Oh sure - they advertise "6mb/s download" but you get 600KB/s down. BULL! Don't list the "connection" speeds. they are meaningless. People only ever care about real transfer speeds...
praetor_alpha
January 14, 2010 at 5:56pm
When you know the difference between kb/s and kB/s, or mb/s and mB/s, you are welcome back.
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