Speedtest.net Ranks Comcast as Fastest U.S. ISP

Ookla, which operates the popular Speedtest.net website, is now providing ISP performance rankings as part of its "Net Index." The new performance is index is gleaned from the more than one million daily tests on the Speedtest.net site.


The new ISP rankings show the top residential ISP in the U.S. based on download speed performance is Comcast, followed by Charter, Optimum Online, MidContinent Communications and Road Runner to round out the top five. Upload
speeds tell a different story with Surewest Broadband on top, followed by Verizon Internet Services, AT&T Worldnet, Comcast and Cox.


The ISP rankings are updated daily and are available for free by geographic region. The index provides separate tracking for download and upload speeds. In addition, each ISP will be listed with a 1 to 5 star rating
system based on end-user provided input.


"The Net Index already offers a powerful research tool for academia, government, ISPs, and those curious about broadband performance. However, it has always been our goal to expand on that information and provide a resource that helps consumers make more informed broadband decisions," said Mike Apgar, co-founder and managing partner of
Ookla. "The new ISP ranking data takes a giant step in that direction, further empowering consumers for the first time with rich data that helps evaluate ISP performance close to home or throughout the world."


In the near future, Ookla will add a Value component to Net Index, allowing consumers to see the cost breakdown associated with broadband services by country, state, city, and even by ISP. The Value Index is currently in development, but to-date Ookla has collected survey information from more than 100,000 broadband-only participants. Preliminary data shows the current average monthly cost for broadband in the U.S at
$47.32, with the average cost per Mbps at $5.06, although this varies greatly from state-to-state. For example, based on download speed, California broadband costs just $4.24 per Mbps, while residents of Idaho pay $8.80, Washington respondents averaged just $3.89 per Mbps and Michigan subscribers pay $6.36.
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