US Ranks 31st On Global Broadband Speed List

There is some work being done in the US to improve broadband speeds. Google for instance is working on installing fiber internet service in some areas that is fast and inexpensive. However, the vast majority of the US is left with some of the slowest broadband internet speeds in the world. The US ranks 31 on the list of speediest broadband countries according to Speedtest.net.

Speedtest.net is a company that compares consumer download speeds from around the world and keeps an updated list ranking the speediest countries on average. The latest update put the US at 31st place. Broadband speeds in the US were slower than they are in some countries you wouldn't expect to see ahead of one of the more technologically advanced nations in the world, such as Moldova and Uruguay.

The fastest broadband speeds on the list are in Hong Kong. Rounding out the top five fastest broadband nations in order are Singapore, Romania, South Korea, and Sweden. One of the issues facing getting fast internet around the US is the massive size of the country.

Many areas of the US also have little broadband competition leaving no real incentive for providers to upgrade networks to support faster speeds. When faster speeds are available in the US the service is often so expensive that most consumers aren't willing to pay for it. Slow internet speeds in the US aren't likely to improve any time soon.

SOURCE: Venture Beat