Report Reveals Global Broadband Speeds And Prices

PRLog (Press Release) – Aug 06, 2007 – Over recent years the UK has seen higher broadband speeds become available, coupled with lower prices. However, a recent report has revealed that many countries are enjoying far better speeds and better value for money, with Japan coming out on top when it comes to broadband. The report was compiled and circulated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

According to the OECD broadband is used by sixty percent of net users signed up with its member countries. Users of broadband in thirty different developed countries are getting very different speeds and being charged varying prices, according to the report. Those countries that have now switched over the fiber networks are getting the best speeds and value for money, and the report also revealed that Japan has 100mbps lines, which is ten times the OECD average.

In Japan it costs the equivalent of eleven pence per megabit per second for broadband, compared to the most expensive, which is Turkey, where the cost is the equivalent of £40.56. The cheapest megabit per second cost in the UK comes in at £1.81, and in the USA is slightly cheaper at the equivalent of £1.59.

Other countries that have fiber networks, and therefore offer increased speeds and better value, include Korea, Finland, and Sweden. With these connections upload speeds can be as high as download ones, something that does not happen with ASDL and cable networks.

One analyst stated: "It's very hard to draw comparisons across 30 countries globally because there are different trends happening in each of them. However, he said the entry price for broadband was an incredibly important criteria to compare. Because the market is very fragmented consumers care about cheap prices."