While most South African Internet users have to contend with maximum broadband speeds of between 1 and 4Mbps, the average Japanese user is enjoying download speeds of more than 63Mbps. This is according to a new study by the US-based Information Technology and Innovation Fund, a research think tank. <\/p>\n
The report, Explaining International Broadband Leadership, was released on May 1 and ranks members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD) on cost, penetration and speed of their broadband services. <\/p>\n
Top of the list was South Korea which, while only having average download speeds of around 50Mbps, has a penetration rate of 0.93 subscribers per household. Japan follows with a penetration rate of 0.55 subscribers per household but average download speeds of around 63.6Mbps. Finland with average speeds of 21.7Mbps claimed third spot on the list of 30. <\/p>\n
When ranked by cost, Japan's cheapest cost per megabit\/s was around $0.13 (almost R1), France's at at $0.33 and South Korea at $0.37. <\/p>\n
In South Africa a Telkom 384kbps ADSL line costs R152 a month to rent. A 4Mbps line costs R413 a month. <\/p>\n
Further down the list of OECD countries in the United States at 15 with download speeds of 4.9Mbps at $2.83 megabit\/s and the United Kingdom paying $1.24 per megabit for average speeds of 2.6Mbps. <\/p>\n