Data consumption is increasing all over, especially as emerging markets start to realize connectivity. As demand grows, so has supply. The world’s data speed has increased to see an average of 3.6Mbps, with South Korea having the fastest — by far. Mobile data consumption has also grown remarkably, rising 80% in the last year alone.
This information comes to us via Akamai, a US based Internet content delivery network. Their data for this study comes in large part from Ericsson, who provide network solutions for carriers all over the world. Ericsson has a presence in over 180 countries, and represent over 1,000 networks. There was no sampling of users, only raw data taken from hard numbers.
When it comes to mobile data usage, the world is making a poignant shift. The first quarter of 2010 was the first time data overtook voice as the main means of consumption, and it hasn’t stopped since. The consistent trajectory seems almost storybook, with the largest leap coming from Q3 2012 to Q4 2012. Consumption has risen 80% since last year, and 10% between the second and third quarters in 2013.
As for connection speeds, South Korea is taking the lead. They enjoy the fastest data speeds, with a 51% increase over last year, and an average data speed of 22.1Mbps. That doesn’t solely represent mobile data connection speed, but with South Korea’s dedication to having a lightning quick mobile network, they may end up putting more distance between themselves and the rest of the field next year.
VIA: The Next Web
