I often get frustrated by slow internet download speeds and wonder how download speeds in Canada compare with other parts of the world. Here is a chart comparing Canada's broadband performance with some other countries. Download speeds in Canada are a little below those in the US, but the real surprise is that download speeds in Canada and the US have not changed much over the past 4 years. South Korea, Lithuania. Latvia, and Switzerland are some of the countries that enjoy download speeds at least double what we have here in Canada. I view slow download speeds as a barrier to increased productivity. As more content switches to an online format, it is important to have high speed access to this content.
Disclaimer: I remain a vociferous critic of the telecommunication companies in Canada.
ReplyDeleteThe companies controlling access to the Internet have shown no inclination to improve service as they control content on cable and satellite as well and chief amongst them, Bell, has the gall to state that it's latest acquisition will improve service in an already oligopolistic industry where pricing gives the appearance of being 'cartel-like' even if it technically is not. Rogers hides behind the CRTC so that NETFLIX Canada is a shadow of the original but these telcos are running on borrowed time. Anyone with more than a basic knowledge of IT can bypass Canadian content hurdles although they must do so at painfully uncompetitive Internet speeds.