Earlier this month, UK telecoms provider, Cable, published the average broadband Internet download speeds for over 200 countries worldwide, as of May 2019. The results for 30 Caribbean countries were included.

 

Last week, on 2 July, triple play telecoms service provider, Cable, which operates in the United Kingdom, published the results of a global broadband speed assessment, which featured 207 countries, including 30 from the Caribbean region. The download speeds tests were recorded over the period May 2018 to May 2019, and currently are the most comprehensive set of results that have been made publicly available.

 

Methodology

The 2019 broadband speed test results were collected from a broad range of resources, including regulators and speed test providers, that regularly measure and collate broadband speed test results. The data was collected over the period of 12 months up to 7 May 2019, and the  results were compiled and presented by Cable (Source:  Cable).

The download speeds recorded are those available to a device via a router, and so represent actual (or realistic) speeds experienced by the user – via Wi-Fi, Ethernet connection, or other means. For each country, download speed tests had to be recorded from at least 100 unique Internet Protocol addresses. Additionally, test results were excluded if, among other things, the speed test exercises were unduly long or short, if little data was actually transferred, or if a connection between the server and client was not properly established (Source:  Cable).

We again have extracted the test results for the Caribbean countries included in the global league tables. For 2019, there were 30 countries and/or island groups, as reflected Table 1.

Table 1: List of Caribbean countries/country groupings included in the Cable (UK) 2019 global broadband speed results

 

In the sections that follow, we

  • present the 2019 results; and
  • briefly compare the 2019 results with those recorded in 2018.

 

2019 test results

For the Caribbean countries examined, typical download speeds ranged from a low of 1.66 Mbps in Cuba, to 16.12 Mbps in Cayman Islands, as reflected in Figure 1. Across the region, the average download speed was 7.42 Mbps.

 

Figure 1: Actual download speeds recorded in 30 Caribbean countries/country groupings, as at May 2019 (Source: Cable)

 

Among the countries with the fastest download speeds and in addition to the Cayman Islands, were Barbados, with an average download speed of 16.03 Mbps, and Aruba, with 15.15 Mbps.  At the other end of the spectrum, and in addition to Cuba, were Haiti, with an average download speed of 2.94 Mbps, and Suriname, 3.40 Mbps.

 

Comparing 2019 with 2018 test results

In comparing the speed test results recorded in 2019 and in 2018, generally, the average download speeds got faster over the 12-month period under review, which is also consistent with the download speed averaged across the countries examined. As stated above, the average download speed in 2019 was 7.42 Mbps, which is around 13% faster than the averaged figure for 2018, 6.57 Mbps.

 

Figure 2: Comparison of actual download speeds recorded in select Caribbean countries/country groupings, as at May 2018 and May 2019 (Source: Cable)

 

However, as evident in Figure 2, some anomalies exists. In a few countries, such as Barbados, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and Cuba, the average download speeds were slower in 2019 that in 2018.

 

Some parting thoughts

Consistent with global trends, the Internet download speeds are increasing worldwide. However, the global rate of increase is faster that the average recorded for the Caribbean countries examined:  approximately of 21 % globally, versus 13% in the Caribbean region. Having said this, and as Figure 3 shows, it is important to again emphasise that for the most part, download speeds across the Caribbean are improving.

 

Figure 3: Year on year change in the actual download speeds recorded in select Caribbean countries/country groupings, as at May 2018 and May 2019 (Source: Cable; ICT Pulse)

 

In many instances, as was noted in our recent Snapshot: 2019 update of Internet speeds and pricing across the Caribbean, the Caribbean Internet Service Providers have been increasing the download speeds of their subscription plans, and in some instances, have been increasing the rates payable as well. Hence, although increasing download speeds augur well for the Caribbean region and its residents, with respect to their ability to better leverage the medium, we may also need to be more mindful of the extent to which inclusion, particularly among the economically-challenged in our societies, continues to be fostered.

 

 

Image credit:  Herbert Aust (Pixabay)