Every each one of us has complained at some point about unsatisfactory or painfully slow Internet connection. And while the Internet service in Australia is much better than in some areas of the world, it’s far from ideal. Nevertheless, let’s allow ourselves a moment of envy and look at the list of the countries with the fastest Internet speeds.

 

Why is the Internet speed in some countries slower than in others? It would seem that the Internet is the same everywhere, right?  Yes and no. The Internet speed and the accessibility to it are different in every country.

 

All countries have access to the Internet

 

Yes, indeed, technology has changed the way we lived. In fact, almost all countries have practically the same access to the Internet. However, the problem is that not all countries have the proper level of infrastructure or Internet-related technology. The Internet speed is affected by a lot of factors: your location, where you connect, the number and type of networks, etc.

 

If you reduce the number of factors affecting the Internet speed in different countries to a minimum, the two main factors that remain are money and experience. The success of Internet service providers depends on how much money they spend on increasing bandwidth and infrastructure development, as well as on the expertise and professionalism of the organization’s specialists. For Internet users, the criteria are almost the same: how much money we spend on modern high-performance equipment and whether we have the knowledge to use it.

Why is the Internet slow in some countries?

There are many reasons why in one country the Internet may be slower than in another. One of the main reasons is the attitude of the country’s authorities to the Internet. Countries with the fastest Internet have a high level of personal freedom of citizens and the possibility of applying the most advanced technologies. In countries with the slowest Internet speeds, there are often serious restrictions on personal freedom of citizens and economic difficulties that do not allow the use of modern technologies.

 

The Internet speed – what is it?

Currently, it is estimated that the average Internet speed globally is about 5.5 Mbps. This means that downloading an HD movie will take about an hour. And this is considered “fast” Internet. Countries where the average download speed is below 4 Mb / s are considered to be countries with a low Internet speed. But in South Korea, the country with the fastest Internet, where the average speed is 26.7 MB / s, downloading the same movie will take just a few minutes. What’s more, nowadays the peak speed in South Korea, i.e. The fastest speed you can expect –  is over 95 MB / s. This means that the time required to load an HD movie will be a matter of seconds. See also Facts about Internet that will blow up your mind.

 

Seconds! It is noteworthy that there is a huge gap between leading countries in term of Internet speeds and all the others. Between the two countries that occupy the first two places for the average speed, the difference is only 7.5 Mb / s, but at the maximum speed, South Korea is the winner. If the average peak speed in South Korea is about 95 MB / s and this is the 3rd place in the world, then in Sweden the peak speed is much slower, at 69 Mb / s, and is not even among the top ten countries. The differences between the 2 nd and 10 th places are much smaller, only 3 MB / s, with the average speed being about 17.6 MB / s, which is about 3 times higher than the average worldwide. For instance, the United States ranks 14th with an average speed of about 12.6 MB / s. Australia, unfortunately, only ranks 50th with the average speed of 11.1 MB / s.

 

Here’s the top list of the countries with the fastest Internet speeds:

 

1. South Korea

South Korea ranks first in average connection speed and the third at peak, maximum speed. The average speed is 26.7 MB / s, and the peak speed is slightly higher than 95.3 MB / s. The Internet is used by about 95% of the population, which became possible due to broad government support for the development of broadband technology. A favorable factor is the very high population density, which makes the introduction of technology very easy.

 

2. Sweden

Sweden takes the second place for the fastest Internet connection speeds. The average speed is 19.5 MB / s, which is 27% lower than in South Korea, yet also the maximum speed is much slower than in South Korea, the country is not even included in the top-10. From the Internet usage point of view, Sweden takes the 4th place, with 94% of the population using it. According to Open Net, there is practically no censorship or government interference on the Internet. They only slightly monitor cross-border movements and introduce filters to screen out child pornography. The Swedish Constitution protects freedom of speech and the press and prohibits arbitrary interference with privacy, family, home and correspondence.

 

3. Norway

Norway ranks third in the average speed of the Internet connection, equal to 18.8 MB / s. It is the first non-English-speaking country in the world that joined the ARPANET project in 1971. Since then, the country has become a leader in the creation of fiber-optic and 4G-infrastructure. Even remote islands in the far north of Norway have speeds much faster than in most other countries. The Norwegian Constitution also protects the rights to privacy and freedom of speech and the press. Open Net claims that there is no evidence of government censorship.

 

4. Japan

Japan is on the 4th place with an average speed of about 17.5 MB / s and on the 5th with a peak speed of about 82.5 MB / s. Japan is one of the countries that fully realizes the potential of the Internet and invests heavily in its infrastructure. Japan is the leader in the field of FTTH, fiber-optic communication, relying on it almost fully to solve its connectivity needs. Large telecommunications providers offered ISP services back in 1996 and introduced high-speed broadband in 2000. According to various estimates, 86% of households and 99% of enterprises use the Internet. Regarding regulation, the Internet in Japan is among the least regulated, relying on a system of self-regulation carried out by companies that work through the Internet. The country also protects freedom of speech and the press, without limiting access to the network or its use.

 

5. The Netherlands

The Netherlands occupies the 5th place for the average speed at 17.0 MB / s. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Netherlands has one of the highest levels of broadband Internet access among European countries, 100% of the population is available online. The download speed usually depends on the local providers. Widely used are both fiber-optic networks and local communication. Private networks allow customers to use multiple connection paths, providing alternatives in the event of network corruption or hacker attacks. The government actively supports the prohibition of censorship, but tries to control copyright infringements, the spread of child pornography and other criminal activity on the Internet.

 

6. Hong Kong

Hong Kong takes only the 6th place for the average speed, but 2nd place for the maximum speed. The average speed is 16.8 MB / s, which is close to the level of the leading countries, but the peak speed is close to 105 MB / s, i.е. the Internet is fast enough to download a lengthy film in a matter of minutes. Due to the large population and high population density, in Hong Kong, just as in South Korea, it is easy enough to connect users to the network. But, if there is a problem with the network in Hong Kong, it can cause some serious disruption of the Internet access for the users. Usually such malfunctions occur because of the aggressive use of low-quality fiber optic cables by Internet providers that is caused by high competition.

 

7. Latvia

A tiny Central European country, Latvia is in seventh place with an average speed of about 16.7 MB / s. There is no Internet censorship in the country, providers do not block access and effectively use fiber optics. Travelers will be happy to find 3G and broadband access in almost any part of the country, and, often, for free.

 

8. Switzerland

Switzerland, like Latvia, has an average Internet connection speed of 16.7 MB / s. The country has one of the highest levels of Internet penetration among European countries and regularly modernizes its networks. DSL and broadband over the phone lines  are the number one solution because of the high cost of fiber optics, which are mostly used by businesses. The Internet is practically not subjected to censorship.

 

9. Finland

Finland ranks 9th at an average speed of 16.6 MB / s. It was one of the first countries to adopt the Internet in the early 1980s. Fiber-optic networks with FTTH are available in many places. Finland also supports freedom of speech and press, lack of censorship or government barriers to access to the network. Services providers are usually very inexpensive because of high competition.

 

10. Denmark

Denmark completes the list of the Top-10 countries, with an average connection speed of 16.1 MB / s. Compared to South Korea, this speed may seem low, but it is still 3 times higher than the average in the world. What distinguishes Denmark from most other countries is the long-standing monopoly on telecommunications and the infrastructure. TDC Group, the former Danish monopolist, now owns all the copper connections that are used in homes and businesses. Nevertheless, the Danes take advantage of the low cost of the Internet service, high speed and reliable access, the level of which is above the European average. Recently, private businesses in Denmark have increasingly started introducing fiber-optic networks to replace the existing copper cables.

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