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Average global internet speed drops to 2.3Mbps, US 13th fastest at 5.3Mbps

Average global internet speed drops to 2.3Mbps, US 13th fastest at 5.3Mbps

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The average global internet connection speed dropped 14 percent to 2.3Mbps in the last quarter of 2011, according to Akamai's latest "State of the Internet" report.

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The average global internet connection speed dropped 14 percent to 2.3Mbps in the last quarter of 2011, according to Akamai's latest "State of the Internet" report. It's unclear what could have caused the drop, and the networking company doesn't profess an explanation. Year-on-year average speeds are up 19 percent, however, so while we'll be watching to see if the trend continues next quarter the recent blip is unlikely to be indicative of any long-term malaise.

It's revealed elsewhere in the report that the fastest US city is Boston with an average connection speed of 8.4Mbps, though that only makes it 51st in the world behind a top 50 list dominated by South Korea and Japan. Those countries are predictably on top of the international table, too, with average speeds of 17.5Mbps and 9.1Mbps respectively — meanwhile, the US languishes in 13th place as Americans saw their average speeds drop 5.3 percent from the previous quarter to 5.8Mbps.

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