Average broadband speeds in the U.S. reached 11.9 Mbps in the first quarter of 2015, a 13% year-on-year increase (and 7.4% on a quarter-over-quarter basis), according to Akamai’s latest State of the Internet Report.
Despite that healthy jump, that placed the U.S. in 19th among other countries. South Korea led all nations with an average of 23.6 Mbps, followed by Ireland (17.4 Mbps); Hong Kong (16.7 Mbps); Sweden (15.8 Mbps); Netherlands (15.3 Mbps); Japan (15.2 Mbps); Switzerland (14.9%), Norway (14.1 Mbps); Latvia (13.8 Mbps) and Finland (13.7 Mbps).
On a global basis, average connection speeds rose 10%, to 5 Mbps.
When it came to average peak connection speed, Akamai said the U.S. came in at 53.3 Mbps, up 31% year-over-year and 7.9% quarter-over-quarter, ranking it 22nd. In that category, Singapore led with a peak average of 98.5 Mbps, followed by Hong Kong (92.6 Mbps); South Korea (79 Mbps); Kuwait (76.5 Mbps); and Romania (71.6 Mbps).
Starting with this report, Akamai started to track Internet adoption of 25 Mbps, fitting the FCC’s new benchmark definition of broadband: 25 Mbps down by 3 Mbps upstream.
In the U.S. Washington, D.C., was tops, with 18% of its unique IP addresses connecting to Akamai at average speeds of at least 25 Mbps, followed by Delaware (15%).
“Adoption rates for 25 Mbps broadband are still fairly low nationwide, with 46 states seeing levels below 10%,” Akamai’s report said, noting that Ohio ranked last among U.S. states, with its 1.4% adoption rate. Hawaii, Kentucky, and Alaska all had adoption rates below 2% in the first quarter as well. Seventeen states had adoption levels below 5%.
Among other countries, adoption of 25 Mbps speeds or greater reached 31% in South Korea, followed by Hong Kong (17%); Sweden (15%); and Japan (13%), according to Akamai.
