Up to speed: fast, but losing momentum

The latest analysis of data from ZDNet Australia's Broadband Speedtest shows that average broadband speeds in this country compare well with other developed nations, but many are overtaking us.

Every month we see a slight increase in the average connection speed of Australian internet users. As this table shows, home users now average 8.3Mbps, a 4 per cent increase on data collected between November and December last year, and 21 per cent up on September to October.

(Credit: Phil Dobbie/ZDNet Australia)

Increasing speeds by almost a quarter in half a year sounds impressive, until we look at speed tests from users in other parts of the world.

The UK has seen average speeds (from home users) jump by 64 per cent, leapfrogging us in the league table of broadband speeds. They are undergoing a massive fibre roll-out in the UK (a mix of fibre to the node and fibre to the home) and, unlike here, it's off to a good start. This could help account for average speeds that are now nudging the 10Mbps mark.

The US has maintained its lead over all other countries (at least as far as our speed test results are concerned), growing at almost twice the rate of Australia. Back in September/October 2011 they averaged 7.8Mbps, and at 7.3Mbps we weren't far behind. Now the US has leapt ahead, with average speeds 22 per cent faster than here.

(Credit: Phil Dobbie/ZDNet Australia)

The more we study data from our broadband speed tests, and the month-on-month gains, it gets harder and harder to argue that people don't want quicker speeds. The rate of growth is nothing short of phenomenal. Many countries will soon hit an average speed of 12Mbps, the entry level for the National Broadband Network (NBN). By the time fibre is hooked up to our homes it's a speed that many will find woefully inadequate.

Is all this waiting for an NBN solution actually slowing us down? You can hear Liberal MP Paul Fletcher talk more about that suggestion on Twisted Wire this week.