Virginia Wins The Race Of Fastest Internet Speed

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Internet speed is one of the most-discussed issues by technology companies particularly Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX), the world’s largest online video streaming company. Many people are interested to learn more about the topic because the internet is already a part of their life.

People want to have a consistent and fast internet connection particularly when streaming videos online. Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX), Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) and other companies has been repeatedly complaining that internet service providers (ISPs) are deliberately slowing the internet.

Top five states with fastest internet speed

Broadview Networks, a communications and cloud services provider, found out the average internet speed in every U.S. state using the State of the Internet report from Akamai. The internet speed is measured in megabits per second (Mbps)—the measurement of data transfer speed within the network.

Based on the map created by the communications and cloud services provider, the state of Virginia has the highest internet speed in the United States with 13.7 average Mbps. Delaware and Massachusetts ranked second with 13.1 Mbps followed by Rhode Island 12.9 Mbps followed by Washington D.C. with 12.9 Mbps.

States with the slowest internet speed

Alaska has the slowest average internet speed with only 7 Mbps. The states of Arkansas, Kentucky, and Montana have an average internet speed of 7.3 Mbps. The states of West Virginia and Mississippi have average internet speeds of 7.5 Mbps and 7.6 Mbps, respectively.

Content providers urge consumers to pressure ISPs

Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL), Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) and other content providers are encouraging consumers to pressure ISPs to increase the speed of the internet connection. The search engine giant is rating ISPS, and it is providing users with a Video Quality Report informing them if they need a better speed from their ISPs to stream video.

Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) has its own ISP Speed Index, which monitors the average internet speed offered by ISPs in different countries.

FCC proposed changes in measuring high-speed internet

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is proposing a change on how to measure high-speed internet, which could require a download speed of 10 Mbps. In a statement, FCC chairman Tom Wheeler said, “As more people adopt faster-broadband speeds, we are asking if all consumers, even in the most-rural regions, should have greater access to better broadband.”

At present, the FCC considers a download speed of 4Mbps and an upload speed of 1 Mbps as broadband or high-speed internet. The agency is asking in its notice of inquiry if the minimum upload speed rate should be higher to adequately address the needs of consumers and whether a download speed of 10 Mbps or higher should qualify as broadband.

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