Our data policy
We don’t publish a country league table today. We only publish speed figures when we have enough measurements to describe a place fairly, with the sample size, dates and method stated next to the numbers. Until then, we would rather point you to established sources than show you numbers we can’t stand behind.
Why internet speeds differ between countries
- Technology mix. Countries with widespread fiber-to-the-home tend to report higher speeds and lower latency than those relying on DSL or older cable networks.
- Geography and density. Building networks is cheaper in dense cities than across large rural areas.
- Policy and investment. National broadband programs, spectrum allocation and competition rules shape what gets built.
- Mobile vs. fixed use. In some countries most people go online mainly by mobile. Blending mobile and fixed tests changes the picture.
- International connectivity. Speed and latency to servers abroad depend on undersea cables and how traffic is routed.
How to compare national reports fairly
Different reports can rank the same country very differently. Before comparing, check:
- Median or mean? A few very fast connections raise the mean a lot. The median is closer to a typical experience.
- Who ran the tests? Crowd-sourced tests come from people who chose to test, often because something felt slow. Panel studies use selected households and dedicated hardware.
- What was tested? Fixed broadband, mobile, or both; WiFi or wired.
- Where were the servers? Tests to nearby servers show the best case; tests to distant servers include long-distance effects.
- When? Networks change quickly. Check the date range.
Official sources by country
| Country | Where to look |
|---|---|
| United States | The FCC’s annual Section 706 broadband report, and the FCC National Broadband Map for availability at an address |
| United Kingdom | Ofcom research on home broadband performance and coverage |
| Canada | CRTC broadband measurement reports |
| Australia | The ACCC’s Measuring Broadband Australia program at accc.gov.au |
| New Zealand | The Commerce Commission’s Measuring Broadband New Zealand program at comcom.govt.nz |
| Ireland | ComReg, the communications regulator |
Open global datasets
- Measurement Lab (M-Lab) publishes raw speed test data and methods openly, so researchers can run their own analysis.
- Cloudflare Radar shows internet quality and traffic trends by country and network, based on Cloudflare’s view of global traffic.
Whatever the source, your own repeated tests are the best guide to your connection. National averages describe millions of homes, not yours.