Internet Speeds: USA vs. The Rest of the World

The United States is climbing the global ranking for internet speeds. Still, many of its communities have been left behind—only having access to internet service that doesn’t even meet broadband standards.

Do you live in one of these communities? If you do, you might also be feeling left out as the rest of the USA gets faster and faster internet speeds.

How is this possible, and what can we do about it?

USA’s Internet Speed Compared to Other Countries

In 2013, the United States had an average download speed of 31 Mbps and was ranked 25th globally in average broadband internet speed. Over the last decade, the USA has made strides in internet service.

Speedtest.net reported that the USA’s median download internet speed as of February 2024 was 242.38 Mbps – the 6th fastest median internet speed in the world.

Likewise, median upload speed for the US was 30.68 Mbps and a latency of 13 ms.

Here’s the top ten counties with the fastest median internet speed by from the Speedtest Global Index.

1. Singapore – 286.66 Mbps

2. Chile – 272.01 Mbps

3. Hong Kong – 270.72 Mbps

4. Iceland – 259.72 Mbps

5. United Arab Emirates -257.14 Mbps

6. United States – 242.38Mbps

7. France – 240.36 Mbps

8. China – 238.17 Mbps

9. Monaco – 236.00 Mbps

10. Thailand – 226.36 Mbps

Global Internet Speeds 2024

Global median internet speeds have also risen dramatically. Since February 2023, the worldwide download speed jumped from 78.68 Mbps to 92.96 Mbps. That’s a 17% increase in one year alone!

Global Median Download Speeds – 92.26 Mbps

Global Median Upload Speeds – 44.65 Mbps

Global Median Latency – 9 ms

Much of the improvement the US has seen in internet speeds was due to fiber-optic infrastructure being installed throughout the country—especially in larger cities. 43% of Americans now have access to fiber internet, says a study by the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA).

How does your internet measure up? Test your internet speed to see how it stacks up against the rest of the world.

If you’re disappointed with your download and upload speeds, there’s a chance you share the same problem as many other people throughout the US. Thankfully, the technology behind fiber optic cable is enabling more Americans to have faster, more reliable internet.

Speed Inequality in the USA

While the United States’ nationwide median and average internet connection speeds have improved, many communities still don’t have access to those faster speeds. The FCC estimates that roughly 14.5 million Americans don’t have internet speeds that reach the 25 Mbps standard for broadband speed.

Worse still, data analysis done by Microsoft revealed that about 120.4 million Americans aren’t using speeds that reach 25 Mbps. That means one-third of all Americans are not using broadband internet. That problem is prevalent in the state of Texas, as well.

Millions of Texans, especially those in smaller or rural towns, don’t have access or subscriptions to broadband internet plans—even more don’t have access to the speed or reliability that today’s internet use requires.

Closing the Gap

It’s no surprise that we can attribute the United States’ faster internet speeds to an increase in fiber optic connections. However, fiber internet has much room to grow in the United States, especially compared to fiber adoption rates around the world. Fiber internet has a lot to offer, including the fastest internet speeds available.

That’s why Tachus Fiber Internet’s mission is to bring that same fast, reliable, and future-proof connection to communities in Texas that previously lacked access to acceptable internet service.

We are bridging the digital divide in our state by bringing communities 100% fiber-to-the-home internet that offers speed and reliability, local and honest customer service, and lifetime pricing without contracts or extra fees.

Is your community not getting the internet speeds it deserves? It’s time to bring Tachus to your area so you can work, stream on multiple devices, get on video calls, and enjoy unlimited online gaming without interruptions, data caps, or throttling.

Enter your address and information get fiber-fast optic internet with Tachus!