Speedtest uncovers the fastest ISPs and mobile carriers
A new report by internet access performance metrics service Speedtest has uncovered the fastest ISP and mobile carriers in the US.
First, some good news for all -- average speeds are getting faster, with average download speeds breaking 50 Mbps for the first time ever during the first six months of 2016, topping out at 54.97 Mbps in June, with upload speeds also climbing, and averaging 18.88 Mbps.
This represents a year-on-year change in download speeds of 42 percent, and 51 percent for upload speeds.
As for the performance of the individual ISPs, who is the fastest depends on whether you prioritize download or upload speeds. For most, download speeds are what counts, and here Comcast's XFINITY is the clear winner, averaging 125.53 Mbps. But if upload speeds are crucial, then Verizon Fios is the clear choice, with upload speeds averaging 93.64 Mbps. In terms of download speeds, Verizon Fios comes in at fourth, with 88.4 Mbps.
When it comes to mobile carriers, speeds are understandably lower.
While average mobile internet speeds are faster than they were a year ago, with download speeds up by 33 percent and upload speeds up by 28 percent, download speed growth only increased by 5 percent during the first six months of 2016, hitting 19.61 Mbps, while average upload speeds saw a slight drop of -1 percent to 7.94 Mbps.
When it comes to the best mobile carriers, the best upload speeds are by Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile, both averaging 21 Mbps, with T-Mobile's upload speeds beating Verizon Wireless at 11.59 and 8.22 Mbps respectively.
Speedtest also has LTE data for the carriers, and it shows that while T-Mobile has the best LTE performance, Verizon Wireless has the better coverage.
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