Countries and Territories With the Fastest Internet
If you are a remote worker, Internet speed is critical
Since the pandemic, remote work has increased drastically. Although now, there are more hybrid positions, requiring visiting the office at least once a week, there are still plenty of fully remote positions. And for many freelancers or entrepreneurs being remote is the norm.
When working remotely, the speed of the Internet becomes a critical factor, for example, to have video calls or download/upload large files.
These are the countries or territories with the fastest Internet at the time of writing this article:
Monaco
Monaco tops the ranking with an average speed Internet of 319.59 Mbps. The country’s government has invested substantially in establishing an advanced broadband network, ensuring residents have fast and efficient access to information.
Singapore
In Singapore, the average speed of the Internet is 286.66 Mbps. This achievement is because of the city-state status, as the country has a compact size, simplifying the logistics needed to manage the infrastructure. In 2016 cable and ADSL were withdrawn and the customers were transfered to use fast Internet by 2019.
Chile
The average speed of Internet in Chile is 272.01 Mbps, making it the country with the third fastest Internet and far ahead of the rest of the countries in South America.
Unlike in other countries in the region where there are a maximum of 2 Internet providers, in Chile, there are 6 and each of them has at least 5% of the market share. This explains why Internet speed is faster in the country than in neighbouring countries.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong has an average Internet speed of 270.72 Mbps. Hong Kong Internet eXchange(HKIX) is a neutral and professional Internet exchange point and it’s one of the largest in Asia. It makes it possible to exchange the traffic locally, without routing through the US or other countries. 99% of the traffic in Hong Kong goes through this exchange point, which explains the fast Internet speeds.
United Arab Emirates
The average Internet speed in the United Arab Emirates is 257.14 Mbps. In the country, 99% of its population has Internet access, which accounts for 10 million inhabitants. Having one of the fastest Internet speeds in the world is part of the strategy to position Dubai as a global digital hub.
Internet delays have been reduced from 200 milliseconds in 2012 to less than 3 milliseconds.
Romania
In Romania, the average Internet speed is 212.53 Mbps, but that goes up to 251.89 Mbps in the capital, Bucharest. Compared to other countries, Romania didn’t have to deal with outdated infrastructure. This allowed the country a blank slate for the implementation of modern infrastructure, opting for fibre optics without having to phase out older infrastructure like countries like the US have to deal with.
Not only does Romania have one of the fastest Internet speeds in the world, but also one of the most affordable ones. Digi offers 10Gbps connections for just $10 a month.
United States
The United States has an average Internet speed of 242.38 Mbps. The US has now about 68 million fibre broadband connections due to the efforts of the country towards faster and more reliable internet access. Many Internet providers are now offering 10Gbps fibre connections but the median price is about $75, which is still a bit higher compared to other countries.
Iceland
Iceland has an average Internet speed of 249.32 Mbps with 90% of its population having access to full-fibre networks. A government program that ran between 2016 and 2022 aimed at securing access to fast Internet, even in rural and remote areas. Only 1.5% of all connections are still on older ADSL services.
Denmark
In Denmark, the average speed Internet is 225.81 Mbps. Unlike other countries, in Denmark, Internet infrastructure is monopolised by the former state-owned company TDC. Recently there has been more competition with regional companies entering the market pushing to roll out FTTH networks (Fibre-to-the-Home).
Danes have access to fair prices and widespread availability of high-speed Internet connections.
Thailand
Thailand has an average speed of Internet of 226.36 Mbps. In recent years there have been a lot of infrastructure improvements, especially in urban areas. A thriving digital ecosystem has been formed in places like Chiang Mai or Bangkok, for those who work remotely or are starting their own online business.
Some condominiums or remote islands are still facing challenges with Internet connectivity though.
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