In today’s always-on, always-connected digital world, broadband connectivity is everything. In fact, having high-speed broadband is no longer a privilege, it’s a necessity.
Several countries have risen to the challenge of delivering faster, more reliable connectivity for their citizens and businesses. Below, we’ll explore the countries that have invested in the fastest average broadband speeds for their people, setting them up for next-generation technologies.
Singapore
Singapore sits proudly at the top of the pile in the internet speed stakes. Average speeds sit at around the 284Mbps mark. This city state has pumped significant sums of money into its digital infrastructure. High-speed connectivity is the bedrock of Singapore’s digital economy. After all, it’s one of the financial service hubs of Asia.
It gets even better for Singaporeans in the coming years. By 2028, it’s expected that as many as half-a-million households in Singapore will have access to broadband speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second (Gbps). The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) believe that investing in connectivity now is the key to giving the country the foundation to innovate in areas like artificial intelligence and autonomous devices.
Hong Kong
Like Singapore, Hong Kong is another city state with an impressive connectivity infrastructure fit for the digital age, and for its dense population. The access to high-speed broadband is a necessity to support its vibrant digital culture, underpinned by streaming, gaming, and other online business activities.
Nokia recently announced that Hong Kong Broadband Network Limited would be deploying its new 25G PON fibre solution, which would supply 20Gbps download and upload speeds for all end users. This solution is also very cost-effective for Hong Kong, since installers like HKBN can reuse their existing equipment to meet the need for greater speed and reliability.
Canada
Canada is also blazing a trail for high-speed connectivity in North America, with average speeds touching around the 200Mbps mark. Given that Canada is a far more rural, expansive country than Singapore and Hong Kong, fast, reliable connectivity is essential for urban and rural users for the purposes of work, education, and leisure.
The benefit of high-speed broadband for Canadians is that they can watch movies on on-demand platforms like Netflix in 4K quality without interruption. They can also live stream sports in real time with minimal buffering or latency. It’s equally beneficial for those who play live casino games, which are live-streamed directly to devices. The leading roulette providers in Ontario offer these classic table games with high-definition (HD) quality visuals and audio to match. Laggy connections can result in players missing their turn, which can be costly at the virtual tables.
Iceland
Almost all Icelanders (99.68%) used the internet as of 2021, so this small Nordic island nation between the North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean is pushing ahead and driving faster connectivity for its people. It’s especially important for an island as remote as Iceland to have full-fibre connectivity.
By 2026, it’s the aim of the Icelandic government to have full fibre internet in 100% of all homes and workplaces. Its current average speeds sit in the 240Mbps region, putting many other European nations in the shade. Iceland is said to have installed approximately 168.2Tbps worth of submarine bandwidth capacity, supplied across four main cables. This submarine network is what’s enabled Iceland to keep pace and overtake many of its European counterparts.
Other nations boasting above-average broadband connectivity include the United Arab Emirates, Chile, and the United States. The former and the latter are unlikely to raise any eyebrows, but it may surprise some to find that Chile is a full-fibre hotbed. Like Iceland, Chile is reliant on five submarine cables to serve its national territory.
For people living in countries with ultra-fast internet connectivity, it doesn’t just mean speedier downloads. It ensures richer, more immersive entertainment experiences and stable interactions and connections when you need it the most. This is the benchmark for the rest of the world to follow.
Published by HOLR Magazine