Global average peak connection speeds increased slightly during the second quarter of 2013, up 0.1% to 18.9 Mbps, according to Akamai’s Second Quarter, 2013 Sate of the Internet Report.
Among the top 10 countries/regions that saw higher average peak connection speeds in the quarter, increases ranged from 3.1% in Japan (to 48.8 Mbps) to 22% in Taiwan (to 39.5 Mbps). Hong Kong continued to maintain the number one ranking at 65.1 Mbps, and South Korea crossed the 50 Mbps threshold, coming in second at 53.3 Mbps.
Year-over-year, global average peak connection speeds continued to demonstrate solid growth, rising 17%. Yearly growth rates among the top 10 countries ranged from 14% in South Korea to 61% in both Singapore and Taiwan. Around the rest of the world, all but six qualifying countries/regions saw yearly growth in average peak connection speeds, ranging from 8.5% in Bermuda (to 13.4 Mbps) to increases of more than 200% in Bahrain (284% to 40.3 Mbps) and Iraq (274% to 27.3 Mbps).
Quarter-over-quarter, the global average connection speed rose 5.2% to 3.3 Mbps (up from 3.1 Mbps). A total of 129 countries/regions that qualified for inclusion saw average connection speeds increase in the second quarter, ranging from 0.1% in Bulgaria (to 6.7 Mbps) to 93% in Sudan (to 2.1 Mbps).
Year-over-year, average connection speeds were up 9.2%, with nine of the top 10 countries/regions demonstrating positive growth of more than 10%. Worldwide, 127 qualifying countries/regions saw a year-over-year increase in average connection speeds, ranging from 0.6% in Argentina (to 2 Mbps) to 262% in Côte d’Ivoire (to 1.6 Mbps).
Global high broadband (>10 Mbps) adoption rose to 14%. Global broadband (>4 Mbps) improved 11% on the quarter, and Q2 2013 marked the first time that half of all connections to Akamai from around the world reached speeds of at least 4 Mbps.