Global average internet connection speeds increased by 25% year-on-year in the first quarter, according to Akamai's latest State of the Internet report.
The global average connection speed was 2.6 Mbps, the quarterly study shows. Average speeds increased in 125 countries, and declined in only 10.
South Korea once again had the fastest average connection speed, followed by Japan and Hong Kong.
But Hong Kong edged past South Korea during the quarter as the country with the fastest average peak speeds, with 49.3 Mbps, compared to South Korea's 47.8 Mbps. Japan was third with 39.5 Mbps.
In terms of mobile broadband, Germany had the fastest average connection speed, but a Hong Kong provider delivered the fastest average peak speed.
The number of unique IP addresses connecting to the Akamai Intelligent Platform in the first quarter of 2012 grew nearly 14% from last year and 6% sequentially. IP addresses connecting from China swelled more than 20% year-on-year.