The average broadband connection speed across the entire globe is 1.7 Mbps. The U.S. currently registers with an average broadband speed of 3.9 Mbps. The fastest average speed of 14.6 Mbps occurs in South Korea. The slowest, 46 Kbps, occurs in Mayotte (where in the heck is Mayotte?). All of these figures come from Akamai’s 3Q09 ‘State of the Internet‘ report (reg. req. for download) which summarizes internet traffic data gathered from across the company’s global network of servers– including latest info on security attacks and broadband adoption.
Changes in Average Connection Speeds–A Mixed Bag
Connection speeds increased 15% or more quarter over quarter (qoq) in three states–Massachusetts (5.9 Mbps), Utah (5.2 Mbps) and Delaware (7.2 Mbps)– and the District of Columbia (5.3 Mbps). Average connection speeds decreased in 25 states qoq with Kentucky experiencing a 41% decline and connection speed dropping just 0.3% in Nevada.
Twenty-five states also experienced connection speed declines on a year-over-year basis. Ten experienced declines in 2Q09. New Jersey topped this list, with a 39% decline. In terms of year-over-year increases, they ranged from 0.2% in Vermont to a 40% increase in Hawaii.
High Broadband Connectivity in the US
Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia experienced quarterly increases in ‘High Broadband Connectivity’ (over 5 Mbps) in 3Q09, with results ranging from a scant 0.5% increase in Ohio to a 40% jump in South Dakota, according to the report. East Coast states continue to see the highest level of broadband penetration in the US. Nine of the top 10 states, counting D.C., are on the East Coast. Nevada’s the sole representative from outside the region.
Twenty-six states experienced declines in broadband connectivity. New York dropped just 0.4% while New Jersey plummeted 50%, though Akamai’s notes that the big change is “likely related to the re-assignment of IP blocks to the state within Akamai’s EdgeScape database.”
In terms of yearly changes, 20 states and D.C. experienced increases in broadband connectivity while 30 states experienced declines.
Broadband Connectivity in the US
Broadband (2 Mbps minimum) penetration reached a chart-topping 97% in Delaware in 3Q09, a 1.1% increase, according to Akamai. Six of the other top 10 states (all but Nevada and Hawaii in the East) also experienced increases, though all but Massachusetts’s (20%) were characterized as ‘muted.’ Three of the top 10 experienced ‘relatively minor’ quarterly declines.
Broadband adoption levels increased in 28 states and D.C. in total in 3Q09. Twenty-one experienced declines.
Only 11 states experienced increases year-over-year. Thirty-nine states and D.C. experienced declines.
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