Skip to main content

Internet connection speeds are rising globally

100mbps internet widely available in us isp choice limited speed tests header  1
Image used with permission by copyright holder

New numbers provided by Akamai, a cloud services provider, indicate that Internet connection speeds are on the rise all over the world. Akamai published these figures in a report it entitled the “State of the Internet,” a possible play on tonight’s State of the Union address.

Akamai claims that during the third quarter of 2013, the speed of the average Internet connection rose 10 percent to 3.6 MBps. In all, 122 nations/regions enjoyed a rise in their average Internet connection speed. Growth in these places varied though, from incremental rises (a 0.5 percent bump in Namibia to an average connection speed of 1.1 MBps) to extremely sharp upward spikes (average Internet connection speeds rose by 76 percent to 3.6 MBps).

On top of that, more people are getting broadband Internet. The adoption of Internet connections of 10 MBps and higher rose by 31 percent when compared with the third quarter of 2012, while connections of 4 MBps of higher also saw a sharp rise in prevalence, enjoying an uptick of 5.8 percent within the same time frames. 

Here’s what David Belson had to say about Akamai’s report.

“In the third quarter of 2013, we observed that long-term growth in average and average peak connection speeds remained strong, as did growth in global broadband and high broadband adoption rates. We believe these trends point to continued improvement in the quality and performance of Internet connectivity in countries around the world.”

We agree. Barring catastrophic events in these nations, like environmental disasters, that would pose significant risk to the infrastructures of these places, we also expect Internet connection speeds to continue to rise as well.

What do you think? Sound off in the comments below. Contact the author at kkrawczyk@digitaltrends.com.

Editors' Recommendations

Konrad Krawczyk
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Konrad covers desktops, laptops, tablets, sports tech and subjects in between for Digital Trends. Prior to joining DT, he…
Elon Musk reveals upcoming internet speeds for Starlink service
starlink string of satellites captured in cool video a day after launch

SpaceX’s Starlink service is already serving more than 10,000 people with broadband beamed down from space.

Elon Musk, the chief of California-based SpaceX, has just revealed how he sees the $10 billion project progressing over the next couple of years as the company continues with regular rocket launches to deploy its Starlink satellites in low-Earth orbit. More than 1,000 of the small satellites are already in operation high above the clouds.

Read more
Best Surface Laptop and Surface Pro deals: From $450
Microsoft Surface Go 3 sitting on table.

If you want a thin and light laptop that's similar to the MacBook Air but not in the Apple ecosystem, then the Microsoft Surface lineup of laptops is absolutely the way to go. In fact, if you've seen the recent unwrapping of the business version of the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6, you might be fired up and ready to grab your own surface. Unfortunately, the Surface lineup can be quite expensive, which is why we've gone out and scoured the retailers for the best deals we could find and collected them below. So, be sure to check out everything, as well as some of these other great laptop deals if you aren't fully committed to the Microsoft Surface lineup.
Microsoft Surface Go 3 -- $450, was $550

Functioning as a 2-in-1 laptop that can switch between tablet mode and laptop mode, the Microsoft Surface Go 3 won't have trouble dealing with basic tasks as it's equipped with the Intel Pentium Gold 6500Y processor and 8GB of RAM. The 10.5-inch touchscreen with 1920 x 1080 resolution is bright and colorful, and its 128GB SSD is more than enough for your documents. The Microsoft Surface Go 3 ships with Windows 11 Home in Mode, so you can start using it as soon as you unbox it. The device also promises up to 11 hours of battery life before requiring a recharge.

Read more
Best GPU deals: MSI, XFX, EVGA
An AMD graphics card in an external GPU enclosure.

If you're building a new PC from scratch, or upgrading an old one, then a new GPU is probably one of the biggest upgrades you can make, at least if you're looking for great gaming performance. Unfortunately, the last generation of RTX 40-series cards really amped the prices up, and even if you're going for AMD, you're going to be paying a pretty penny to get your hands on a good GPU. That said, there are some good deals to be had; whether you want something budget-friendly or high-end, you can always put that extra money you save into more RAM or a better CPU. Also, be sure to check out some of these gaming PC deals if you'd rather just grab something already pre-built.
MSI AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT Mech 2X 4GB GDDR6 -- $175, was $190

If you're looking for something that is ultra-budget, then this RX 6500 XT is a good option in the lower range and should let you handle at least some of the main free-to-play games like CS:GO and Rocket League, although you will have to play with graphical compromises. It should also handle indie and casual games, especially older ones like the ones you might find on emulators, so it's also a good option for that sort of budget build. the 4GB of VRAM is not a lot, but again, if you're not planning to play any modern AAA or AA games, then this isn't a bad option.

Read more