R.I. has highest-speed Internet in nation

By Nicole Friedman
PBN Staff Writer

NEW YORK – With an average download rate of 894 kilobits per second, Rhode Island has the fastest average Internet speed in the country, according to a recently released study from Pando Networks.

The study showed large geographic disparities in internet speed, with eight of the fastest 10 states in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions and nine of the 10 slowest states in the Midwest and mountain-West regions.

Idaho was revealed to have the slowest internet in the country – 318 kilobits per second, a little more than one third of Rhode Island’s speed.

“Middle America’s slow connectivity could be representative of its more widespread populations and a lower demand for high-speed data infrastructure,” a Pando news release said.

Rhode Islanders complete 87 percent of downloads they begin, the study revealed. Delaware had the most completed downloads – 90 percent – with a download speed of 840 kilobits per second.

Cox, which has an office in West Warwick, has the third-highest speed of major Internet service providers with 757 kilobits per second. Cox ranked below Verizon, 788 kilobits per second, and Comcast Cable, 890 kilobits per second. The slowest provider was Road Runner, 673 kilobits per second, the study said.

Despite Rhode Island’s top place in the rankings, only one Rhode Island city – Woonsocket, at 1,239 kilobits per second – made the list of 25 fastest cities.

The fastest city in the nation is Andover, Mass., with an average speed of 2,801 kilobits per second. The slowest city, Pocatello, Idaho, averages 251 kilobits per second, less than one-tenth of Andover’s speed.

Wealthy suburbs tended to have the fastest Internet service, while poorer rural cities had much slower connectivity, Pando noted.

The study tracked more than 4 million internet users between January and June.