Korea Still Winning Internet Speed Race, Rest of World Left in the Dust

Avg internet speeds for selected Asian Regions (KBps)

Asia has wide gaps in term of Internet connection speed between the fastest and the slowest countries, with only four countries in the region above the world average. Most of the countries with emerging start-ups that we always cover here at Penn-Olson are actually quite slow. At least, that’s what a recent study conducted by Pando Networks revealed.

The study tells us the average Internet connection speed for each country in the world, based on 27 million downloads by 20 million computers in 224 countries, between January and June 2011. Thus, this gives a different output from Akamai’s State of the Internet last May.

Only three Asian nations made the World’s Top 10. South Korea holds the record as the fastest in Asia and also the world, with 2,202 KBps. Japan is in sixth position with 1,364 KBps, following Eastern European countries (Romania, Bulgaria, Lithuania, and Latvia). Surprisingly Hong Kong is in the 10th position with 992 KBps. Taiwan is next in 14th place with 860 KBps.

The rest of the Asian countries fall below the world average (580 KBps) trailing way behind the Top 10. Turkey in 42nd position is not far off the average with 490 KBps. Vietnam and Mongolia, clock in next, 52nd (374 KBps) and 57th (352 KBps) respectively.

Now let’s check on Singapore, India, and Indonesia — all countries with emerging start-ups that we regularly cover. It’s interesting to see that they are mostly under the world’s average, unlike Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan in top position. However, the start-up ecosystems in these countries are growing quite well considering their Internet speed handicap. It’s not an earth-shattering conclusion, but it is reassuring to know that speed is only one little factor contributing in the growth of digital start-up ecosystem.

Singapore is in 64th position with 335 KBps average speed, followed by China in 81st with 245 KBps. India is far behind even China in 108th with 184 KBps. Unfortunately the gap is even wider for Indonesia, wallowing in 145th position with 129 KBps.