Only One Country Beats the US When it Comes to Internet Accessibility
In the US, broadband costs are up and speeds are down, but access is plentiful when compared to other parts of the globe, according to data from UK-based Broadbandchoices.
The group's 2022 Internet Accessibility Index finds that the US has the second most accessible internet behind Denmark, up one spot from 2021, when Liechtenstein topped the US. About 89% of Americans have access to fixed broadband internet, while mobile internet coverage is at 99%.
The report compares speed, cost, Wi-Fi hotspot coverage, and the percentage of a country's population with broadband and mobile internet access, among other categories. The US has more than 400,000 Wi-Fi hotspots, which is bested only by Indonesia's 600,000-plus hotspots. America also ranks 12th when it comes to number of hotspots per person.
The index shows that the average recorded download speed in the US is 27.4Mbps, down 19% year over year. That pales in comparison to Liechtenstein at 75.7Mbps—the "world's fastest average broadband speed for the second year in a row"—but Liechtenstein's average is "down considerably" from 2021. Other countries with speedy internet include Denmark (69.4Mbps), Bermuda (51.1), Switzerland (50.1), and Sweden (45.2).
Internet in Liechtenstein is also a bit pricier than in the US; average cost per month lands at $76.10 compared to $62.40 in the US and $47.80 in Denmark. The countries that offer the best value when it comes to speed and price are Lithuania (22.3Mbps and $13.60), Romania (16Mbps and $9.80), and Poland (25.5Mbps and $15.90)
Costs in the US are up compared to 2021, the index says. "Average monthly cost increased by 3%," says Broadbandchoices. "On the other hand, the cost of a Gb of mobile data fell by almost a third (32%) from
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