Author: Kathy Macdonald

Katherine is the Senior Director of Ookla for Good, leading program initiatives in support of Ookla's mission to measure, understand, and help improve connected experiences for all.
Ookla Research™ Articles
| September 17, 2024

Mapping Internet Connectivity Inequality in Cities around the World

Ookla for Good

In today’s urbanized and digitized world, broadband connectivity is as crucial as basic utilities. However, significant disparities in broadband quality still remain, and this chasm is contributing to the creation of a new generation of digital inequalities. As a result, understanding the geographic distribution of broadband availability and quality is essential for crafting policies that ensure equitable digital access.

The Joint Research Centre of the European Commission recently published a research utilizing mobile and fixed broadband performance data from the Ookla for Good™ program. Their study focused on the issue of digital inequality by exploring the quality of broadband connectivity across urban centers globally. Key research questions in their study focused on the following:

  • Do urban centers in higher-income countries enjoy better mobile and fixed broadband quality compared to lower-income countries?
  • Are more populous urban centers better connected?
  • What is the relationship between population dynamics and broadband speed in urban centers?

To address these questions, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre leveraged a combination of traditional and emerging data sources, including Ookla’s Speedtest® data:

  • Remote sensing data and official population statistics (Global Human Settlement Layer or GHSL).
  • Country borders and income data (Global Administrative layer, GADM, and World Bank).
  • Global broadband speed data (Speedtest® by Ookla®, using data from 2021).

Key findings

The research revealed stark geographic and income disparities in internet download speeds, underscoring the urgent need for targeted policies to bridge the digital divide — especially considering that urban centers are already the places where most people live.

Cities in 125 countries fall below the global median download speed of 86.45 Mbps as of 2021 (which has since increased to 93.93 Mbps in June 2024). In fact, entire regions — such as Africa — lag significantly, with median speeds in countries like the Central African Republic and Eritrea below 3 Mbps.

Regional and income group variations

Broadband speeds vary significantly by region and income group. About 40% of urban centers have connectivity exceeding 100 Mbps, while 60% are split between 0–30 Mbps and 30–100 Mbps. Over 70% of urban centers with speeds below 30 Mbps are in Africa, Central, and Southern Asia. To address these disparities, policies should focus on both expanding access to connectivity and improving speeds in underserved areas.

Connectivity and affluence

A strong correlation exists between connectivity and affluence. High-income countries enjoy significantly better broadband speeds. In contrast, lower-middle-income countries struggle, with 51% of urban centers in the 0–30 Mbps download speed range. Investment in digital infrastructure in these countries is crucial to support economic development and competitiveness.

Map: Countries showing the lowest and hightest distance from median Download Speeds

Figure 1. Map of world countries shaded in blue represent areas with fixed broadband download speeds above the global median fixed download speed of 86.45 Mbps in 2021, while areas shaded in red are below the global median. Dark colors highlight countries showing the lowest and highest distance from median value. Source: Authors’ elaboration on Ookla Speedtest Intelligence data from 2021.

Mobile vs. fixed broadband

High-speed mobile networks are more widespread than fixed broadband, with Ookla® data showing that mobile connectivity was more widely available than fixed broadband solutions in urban centers. While the global median download speed for fixed broadband networks (86.45 Mbps) surpasses that of mobile connections (33.5 Mbps), in many Global South countries, mobile broadband is more affordable and performs better than fixed broadband networks. Policymakers should therefore consider promoting mobile broadband as a cost-effective solution to bridge the digital gap.

Income and urbanization as drivers of connectivity

Income and urbanization drive access to better and faster connections. Larger urban centers, even in lower-income countries, tend to have faster broadband. This suggests that policies aimed at urban development should include comprehensive digital infrastructure plans to ensure all urban residents benefit from high-speed connectivity.

Three key observations of internet speeds across the world

The research identified three primary connectivity scenarios that were observed in countries across the world:

  1. Symmetrical speeds: Some countries, like Sweden, have symmetrical high-speed connections, while others, like Burundi, have symmetrical speeds but slower connections.
  2. Faster fixed network speeds: Countries like India and Brazil benefit from existing infrastructure that supports higher fixed network speeds.
  3. Faster mobile network speeds: Regions in West and South Africa and Southeast Asia often have faster mobile network speeds due to rapid urban growth favoring mobile infrastructure deployment.

Map: Urban Centers Classified by Mobile Network Connectivity Speed and Population Size Class

Figure 2. Map of urban centers classified by mobile network connectivity speed and population size class. Source: Authors’ elaboration on Ookla data from 2021.

Looking ahead

The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre’s research highlights significant disparities in broadband quality across urban centers, driven by geographic, economic, and infrastructural factors. Policymakers must prioritize investments in digital infrastructure, particularly in underserved regions, to ensure equitable access to high-quality broadband connectivity.

After all, bridging the digital divide is not just about technology; it’s also about fostering inclusive economic growth and ensuring that all urban residents can participate in the digital economy. To learn more about this important work, read the complete article from the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. 

The role of Ookla for Good™

At Ookla, we are proud to support research like this through our Ookla for Good initiative. The mission of Ookla for Good is to bring fast and reliable internet access to every person, regardless of location or socioeconomic status. 

That’s why we make this data available on a complimentary basis to policymakers, humanitarian organizations, academic research institutions, journalists, and consumers. The work we do with our partners is more significant than just improving internet speeds; we aim to leave a lasting impact on the communities we support worldwide.

We are grateful to Patrizia Sulis and colleagues (Michele Melchiorri, Paola Proietti, Marcello Schiavina, Alice Siragusa) for their work with our data within the European Commission’s paper and guidance in composing this article. For more information, please contact Patrizia Sulis – Spatial Data Scientist – Joint Research Centre, European Commission. And to read the full study, be sure to check out their article:

  • (2024) Integration of Remote and Social Sensing Data Reveals Uneven Quality of Broadband Connectivity Across World Cities. In Urban Inequalities from Space: Earth Observation Applications in the Majority World (pp. 13-31). Cham: Springer International Publishing.

To learn more about Ookla for Good and inquire about partnership opportunities, visit the Ookla for Good page on our website.

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

Ookla for Good

About the Author

Kathy Macdonald

Ookla Research™ Articles
| June 18, 2024

Ookla for Good Data Reveals a Persistent Digital Divide in Brazil

Ookla for Good

In Brazil, the digital divide is not merely a matter of technology access but a stark reflection of the nation’s economic disparities. The internet, serving as a vital portal to education, employment prospects, and critical services, remains inequitably accessible across the country. 

Research across Brazil shows that affluent individuals often benefit from consistently strong connectivity, while those in lower-income brackets frequently grapple with limited or nonexistent internet access. 

A recent World Bank study in Brazil, utilizing mobile and fixed broadband performance data from the Ookla for Good™ program, has illuminated stark differences in internet access across six major Brazilian cities, emphasizing the need for focused policies to address digital and socioeconomic gaps. 

Ookla for Good is an initiative to provide data, analysis, and content to organizations that are seeking to improve people’s lives through internet accessibility.

The research

Researchers in Brazil conducted a study titled “Bridging the Digital Divide: Mapping Internet Connectivity Evolution, Inequalities, and Resilience in six Brazilian Cities.” They used Ookla® Speedtest Intelligence® test results to examine internet speeds in Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Fortaleza, Manaus, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo between 2017 and 2023. Their findings showed:

  • Wealthier neighborhoods consistently enjoyed superior internet speeds, especially on fixed networks.
  • Mobile internet speeds also correlated with wealth, but that trend has been decreasing over time.
  • Around 13% of areas near educational facilities had speeds below the 80 Mbps threshold recommended for effective e-learning, affecting approximately 8% of the school-age population.

“Our analysis underscores the persistent internet access inequalities in Brazil, a country with a very diverse digital landscape,” said Niccolò Comini, one of the lead researchers and Digital Development Specialist within the Infrastructure Vice-Presidency at the World Bank.

The impact of COVID-19

The study also highlighted how the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the digital divide in Brazil. After the declaration of a national emergency, all cities across Brazil saw a significant decrease in internet speed, with poorer areas experiencing bigger dips in speed, demonstrating a clear gap between those who have reliable connectivity and those who do not. 

More is needed for an equitable digital future

To address these disparities, policymakers and the private sector must collaborate on targeted local policies, such as:

  • Improving connectivity in underserved areas
  • Promoting Fiber to the Home (FTTH) technology
  • Making high-speed internet packages and devices more affordable
  • Fostering digital literacy through training and awareness programs

The World Bank is already supporting initiatives like connecting public buildings via fiber optics in the State of Sergipe in Brazil, driving private sector investments to bring internet access to unconnected households. 

Ookla joined the Development Data Partnership in 2020 to collaborate with partner’s like the World Bank in their efforts to reduce poverty, increase shared prosperity, and promote sustainable development by narrowing the digital divide and bringing connectivity to all.

The role of Ookla for Good™

At Ookla, we are proud to support research like this through our Ookla for Good initiative. The mission of Ookla for Good is to bring fast and reliable internet access to every person, regardless of location or socioeconomic status. 

That’s why we make this data available on a complimentary basis to policymakers, humanitarian organizations, academic research institutions, journalists, and consumers. By providing access to our vast dataset on a complimentary basis, we aim to empower researchers, policymakers, and organizations in their efforts to address the digital divide and promote equitable access to the internet across the globe.

We are grateful to Niccolò Comini, Nicolò Gozzi, and Nicola Perra for their dedication to this critical issue and for using Ookla’s data to drive positive change. For the full analysis, be sure to check out their research paper.

To learn more about Ookla for Good and inquire about partnership opportunities, visit the Ookla for Good page on our website.

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

Ookla for Good

About the Author

Kathy Macdonald

Ookla Research™ Articles
| June 1, 2023

How a social enterprise in Madagascar found their dream beachside location with Ookla

Ookla for Good

Onja is a social enterprise that trains underprivileged youth to prepare them to become world-class software developers and places them into European and US-based tech companies. A reliable internet connection is essential for Onja’s mission: it plays a crucial role from the start of the training program right through to employment. By partnering with Ookla for Good™, Onja was able to compare connectivity across the country to select the location that would provide the best coverage and performance to support both training and employment opportunities. 

During training, students rely on good internet access to take online courses in addition to their classroom study, work on exciting open-source projects, engage in volunteering and online internships, and interact with experts and mentors from around the world for upskilling activities such as mock interviews and coding challenges.

Once our students land great opportunities as developers, they work remotely from our site in Madagascar. Here too, reliable internet is essential to fulfill every aspect of their role. In addition to their work, which requires high-quality internet, developers have regular stand-ups and meetings with their remote team. These exchanges are important because they create strong bonds between the developers and their team members.

Onja’s developers are not just remote workers and partner companies are not just clients. They are intrinsically linked, contributing greatly to the sustainability of the model and a better future for Madagascar’s young people.

When it came to finding a location for Onja’s base, understanding how internet speed varied was a cornerstone of the decision-making process. By providing Speedtest® performance measurements for each region and almost every city in Madagascar through our Ookla for Good initiative, Onja gained the ability to make an informed decision about an important part of its mission. Thanks to the insights provided by Ookla for Good data, the entire Onja team now operates from Mahanoro, a beach town on the east coast of Madagascar. In addition to being a peaceful learning and working environment, Mahanoro’s internet speed is more than sufficient for the mission.

We are grateful to Onja for their assistance in composing this article. Visit Onja to learn more about its mission and current projects.  

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

Ookla for Good

About the Author

Kathy Macdonald

Ookla Research™ Articles
| February 16, 2023

European Commission Uses Ookla® Data to Demonstrate Territorial Disparities and the Digital Divide in the EU

Ookla for Good

The characteristics of places might not define the identity of people living there, but they affect the daily life of every citizen and can prevent them from reaching their full potential and the best life. Persisting territorial disparities, related to phenomena such as depopulation or limited access to services, can become even more visible by observing places rather than individuals. In fact, growing territorial inequality, further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, limits on people’s lifestyle and life choices, and creates a feeling of being left behind.

The Joint Research Centre of the European Commission recently published a report focused on understanding and identifying territorial disparities and challenges in the EU across a variety of sectors, including access to broadband and the performance of the digital connection, using the Speedtest® by Ookla® Global Fixed and Mobile Network Performance data for Q4 2020. A full comprehension of these challenges and their interlinkages is essential to produce evidence to improve policies, especially for the benefit of those living in vulnerable conditions, in line with the principle of leaving no place and no one behind.

Key findings

High-speed broadband increasingly represents an essential infrastructure to drive the economic and social development of territories. Therefore, the lack of broadband network or poor access to a high-speed connection might cause significant disparities among places and citizens and leave some areas behind in terms of access to services and opportunities, diminishing the quality of life of residents. The connectivity gap, often recognized as an urban-rural digital divide, represents an important challenge to face for some countries and policy makers and may require a joint effort by both public and private initiatives.

Results show that significant differences exist in network speed across the EU-27 countries. Territorial disparities are even more relevant, with most Member States in urban areas enjoying easy access to the highest fixed broadband available (> 100 Mbps), whereas in rural areas a significant percentage of residents have access to an average speed below the minimum standard of 30 Mbps. Only very few countries show access to over 100 Mbps broadband for rural populations (Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, Luxembourg).

Regarding mobile broadband, the average speed is generally lower than fixed broadband in all countries, with only a few areas having more than 100 Mbps average speed. Interestingly, the Alpine region across France, Italy and Austria appears to have better connectivity with mobile broadband (over 30 Mbps) than with fixed broadband (under 30 Mbps). The same pattern can be observed in Central Italy and Sardinia, Croatia, and partially in Greece.

To strengthen the evidence of such urban-rural digital divide, the spatial patterns of access to broadband were combined with the population density and the classification of degree of urbanization of municipalities in cities, towns and rural areas (see Figure 01). Results confirm that urban areas present the highest speed in broadband connection, revealing how the areas already most connected in terms of physical networks (i.e., with roads and railways) are also the most connected from the digital point of view. Access to a good broadband connection is most problematic in remote municipalities (with 45 minutes or more from the nearest city by drive), where the average speed is significantly lower than the national averages, especially in countries such as Belgium, Spain, France, and Portugal.

To explore the urban-rural digital divide further, the analysis employed Machine Learning to identify patterns of similarities in terms of vulnerabilities across all areas, regardless of their degree of urbanization, considering the performance of the broadband infrastructure, the population distribution and the remoteness classification of all areas. The areas (belonging to group 0 in Figure 2) are characterized by low speed, high latency, low population density, remoteness, and are identified as the most vulnerable places. However, this analysis also showed that the bad performance of broadband networks is not limited to rural areas. This means that the digital divide is not merely a matter of urban-rural, but mostly a matter of cities versus non-cities: places that would not be considered as disconnected from the physical perspective (not remote areas, but towns close to cities) can still be disconnected from the broadband perspective.

Digitalization can be an opportunity only if its rollout is quick enough to enable rural businesses to remain competitive. However, it is useless without a parallel development of digital literacy and skills for residents in rural areas. Furthermore, digital connectivity is only one player in the game, and it cannot alone overturn the depopulation trends and the other vulnerabilities affecting rural areas.

Without policy support, a lack of or poor access to high-speed broadband might leave some areas behind. Access to broadband and data might help to foster new business and economic activities, especially in vulnerable areas such as rural regions. Exploiting the potential that connectivity and digitalization represent for education and training, cooperation and networking, access to services and markets, can make these areas more attractive to people and businesses.

Cohesion Policy will support the implementation of the EU’s digital agenda. In particular, European Regional and Development Fund investments will focus on digitalization of services for businesses and citizens and rollout of the high-speed broadband. The support will go where it is most needed, i.e. areas where there is a weak take-up of digital technologies or no, or very slow, or very expensive, broadband access or where there is not enough commercial potential to attract private investors.

To read more about this work, the full report is available here.

We are grateful to Patrizia Sulis for her work with our data within the European Commission’s report and guidance in composing this article. For more information, please contact Patrizia Sulis – Scientific Officer – Joint Research Centre, European Commission.

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

Ookla for Good

About the Author

Kathy Macdonald

Ookla Research™ Articles
| June 6, 2022

How the University of Chicago Data Science Institute is Using Speedtest® Data

Ookla for Good

The recent Inaugural Data Science Institute Summit at the University of Chicago brought experts together to discuss topics in data science research, education, and outreach, including digital inequities across the United States. Ookla® was honored to attend and see how Speedtest® data is being used by the Data Science Institute (DSI) at the University of Chicago through our Ookla For Good™ initiative to help identify digital inequities.

Ookla data is helping to identify internet inequities

During the summit, DSI Director of Research Nick Feamster announced the launch of the new Internet Equity Initiative data portal, which uses Speedtest data along with other data sets to map out internet inequities across U.S. Census tracts. This important work shows the disparity of internet access and performance, as well as a variety of different demographic measures, including race, wealth, and education by Census tract. 

You can explore that map here and see how internet connectivity ranks in your community, as well as discovering average internet performance and latency using Speedtest open data.

The initiative has also deployed Internet measurement devices in over 100 households across Chicago, with a particular focus on measuring disparities in Internet performance and reliability between low-income and high-income neighborhoods. The initiative’s measurement devices collect a variety of performance and reliability measurements and use Speedtest to measure a connection’s download and upload speeds continuously over time. You can read more about the data they collect and download their data for free here.

More ways DSI is using Speedtest data

In addition to the Internet Equity Initiative map, researchers at DSI are using Ookla data to create data stories and research studies to understand the digital inequities many people face in the U.S. Here are a few recent publications:

  • A Tale of Two Gigs explores internet performance in two households in two different neighborhoods in close proximity to show that even among the same ISPs, internet speeds and access can vary by a wide margin. 

We’re excited about what our partnership with DSI holds for the future, because we know it exposes great work toward creating a better, faster, and more accessible internet for all. Want to learn more about Ookla For Good? Please reach out here.

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

Ookla for Good
Regulatory

About the Author

Kathy Macdonald

Ookla Research™ Articles
| February 4, 2022

The OECD Uses Speedtest® Data to Improve Broadband Access and Address Digital Deserts

Ookla for Good

Ookla® maintains a data sharing partnership with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as part of our Ookla for Good™ initiative. The OECD leverages data from the Ookla for Good open data initiative in their evaluation of broadband speeds across provinces within countries, including for rural and remote regions where data is often more difficult to find through administrative resources. The collaboration and analysis supports efforts to close the rural-urban connectivity divide on a global scale. For this purpose, the OECD recently published a report and summary blog post both studying access to fixed broadband in rural areas: “Bridging Digital Divides in G20 Countries” using data from Speedtest by Ookla Global Fixed Network Performance Map Tiles global fixed network performance maps corresponding to Q4 2020.

The report explores policies to reduce the disparity of connectivity between regions including targeted funding to support massive broadband and infrastructure investment projects after detailing the scope of network inequality among rural digital deserts that lack access to high-speed internet. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted that reliable internet access is a necessity as more people than ever before transition more of their lives online to attend work, school, and other virtual events. Despite the increasing reliance on the internet to participate in society, many rural communities have been left behind when it comes to fast and reliable internet. While internet traffic has increased over 1,000x throughout the past two decades, digital deserts are missing the necessary infrastructure to support network traffic in 2022 and beyond.

Key findings

  • Broadband download speeds vary greatly. The OECD report found that poor data collection and self-reporting issues can result in inaccurate data on network access and reliability. Using Ookla for Good open data, the OECD uncovered the depth of internet access inequality in digital deserts. This data demonstrated that rural areas are massively behind, averaging 31% slower than the mean national download speed and 52% slower than cities during Q4 2020.
  • Funding broadband improvements generates meaningful change. The OECD report discusses how many countries now view internet connectivity as a basic right, and many nations have put plans into place to improve access to broadband. The OECD also found that increasing competition and reducing network deployment costs alone is not enough for rural regions, even if they have proven to be investments that can help G20 countries expand their network coverage affordably. Furthermore, several studies by U.S. economists estimate that having access to broadband access saves households between $1,500 and $2,200 annually, which could have massive global economic impacts.
  • The importance of private and public sector partnerships remains integral to increasing access and promoting competition. The OECD looks to both national and sub-national governments to generate attention for broadband issues. In addition to policies specifically for rural areas, OECD points to policies that increase competition, working in concurrence with public investment to subsidize private investment in broadband for areas that may not otherwise receive coverage. For example, increased competition in Mexican broadband led to 84% decline in price in mobile broadband costs, while adding 72 million users from 2012 through 2020. The OECD report also provides information on the Quebec regional government’s 50-50 funding initiative to service 150,000 new rural homes through private network operators.
  • Bridging the “connectivity divide”means improving digital literacy. The connectivity divide is a term used to describe areas with disadvantaged groups and low population density. Not only do these areas lack access to broadband, but many individuals lack basic digital skills. Addressing the issues of both connectivity and digital literacy is paramount to strengthening the economic and social revitalization of these areas. Several of the OECD countries have taken measures to improve digital literacy: France has offered individual training accounts for upskilling, Australia has offered rural skills training initiatives to provide skills customized to regional needs, and Canada has provided digital literacy funds and youth programs.

We’re proud to partner with organizations like the OECD and empower them with data that ultimately creates a better, faster and more accessible internet across the world. Read the full report or click here to learn more about Ookla for Good.

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

Ookla for Good

About the Author

Kathy Macdonald

Ookla Research™ Articles
| October 11, 2021

Internet Access on U.S. Tribal Lands is Imperative to Daily and Creative Life

Ookla for Good


Tribal lands in the United States have often been sidelined or simply excluded from decisions critical to funding infrastructure initiatives and improvements. As COVID-19 revealed the internet to be an essential utility for daily life, the internet served as a lifeline and an opportunity for people living on reservations and other Tribal lands to connect with education, telehealth resources, businesses and the “at large” community. But with 628,000 Tribal households having no access to the internet, access to those critical services is lacking for too many.

In honor of Indigenous People’s Day, Ookla for Good™ spoke with a Cherokee Nation citizen and advocate about the importance of the internet to Native communities. We’ve also provided analysis on internet performance on federally recognized Tribal lands and off-reservation trust land areas, including an easy download for anyone who would like to do further research on this important topic.

The internet is a vital connector between places and cultures

We sat down with Joseph Cloud, formerly the Community Hope Center Project Manager at the Boys and Girls Club of Chelsea, Oklahoma and a student of the Cherokee Cultural Studies program at Northeastern State University, to discuss the impact that digital access has on Indigenous communities.

The Boys and Girls Club of Chelsea is funded by the Delaware Tribe and Cherokee Nation to help the children of the region reach their full potential. Cloud began working with the Club when they received a grant from the state of Oklahoma through the CARES Act. Cloud recounted that the CEO contacted him to say they had received a large grant and needed to spend it within a month.

The best way to do that was to install high-speed internet at the Club. Before, they had the one router that served the whole space and you couldn’t access the Wi-Fi from the outbuildings. I thought, “How can we make this center a space for kids who don’t have internet at home?” We installed internet and bought lots of equipment so kids could come there and do their homework. We bought specialized laptops with different editing suites so they could grow their skills in things like photography as they grew older. We weren’t designing for a certain kid, we were growing the program for the future.

The internet was important to getting this project done, too. Cloud was living in New Orleans at the time. He contacted a friend who was a tech wizard in Nashville, Tennessee to consult on this project in Oklahoma. Together they settled on a Ubiquiti system that provides high speed internet throughout the facility.

Cloud has unique insight into how the internet benefits kids on the reservation beyond access to Wi-Fi, too. He grew up as part of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma but he was separated from the Tribal community when his family moved to Florida. “All I’ve had in the last 21 years to stay connected to my culture is the internet,” he stated, “I needed to follow an instinct to strengthen my connection with my culture and my heritage.” He found the Cherokee studies program at Northeastern through online research and now continues to rely on the internet to attend class and connect with peers. “Schools are doing very little to hold together Native scholars — so we must turn to the internet to stay connected, not just across the country, but also locally” he said.

Last year, Cloud attended the Symposium on the American Indian, which was held virtually for the first time in 2020. Attending from Florida, he learned from leaders within the Indigenous advocacy community about a variety of issues. Digital access has empowered Joseph to reconnect with his Indigenous heritage through virtual events, online school and a cross-cultural online community.

Digital access has also had a large impact on his advocacy work, “The internet allows us to bring people into the conversation. We can combat power dynamics by addressing Indigenous issues with predominantly white institutions. These are very important moments.” For Joseph Cloud and so many other Native people, the internet is essential. It provides them with a platform to connect with other scholars, artists and with the world at large — allowing them to be heard and advocate for themselves and their communities.

Too many Tribal lands fall behind U.S. averages for internet performance

As we’ve seen, the internet is a critical utility for people living on Tribal lands in the U.S. However, that vital connection only works well if the internet performance is strong enough to support modern use cases, like video conferencing and streaming. We analyzed Speedtest Intelligence® data from American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian (AIANNH) Areas in the U.S. during Q3 2021 to see how they compare to the U.S. as a whole.

29% of Tribal lands did not meet the FCC’s fixed broadband standards for download speed

Our analysis showed that fixed broadband speeds varied wildly between different AIANNH areas in the U.S. during Q3 2021. The Chickahominy Tribal designated statistical area between Richmond and Williamsburg, Virginia, for example, with one of the fastest median broadband speeds among Tribal lands in the U.S. at 218.86 Mbps, serves as a model of how state funding can radically improve internet infrastructure and performance. Quinault Reservation in northwestern Washington had one of the slowest download speeds at 3.98 Mbps.

Of the 140 AIANNH areas that met our sample count criteria for fixed broadband, 36 did not meet the FCC minimum download speed for broadband of 25 Mbps. Sixteen did not meet the minimum 3 Mbps for upload. For context, the median download speed over fixed broadband in the U.S. was 119.84 Mbps. Only 13 Native areas exceeded that.

ookla_tribal-lands_us_fixed-broadband_1021-1

124 Tribal lands had slower mobile download speeds than U.S. average

There was also a wide array of mobile speeds across AIANNH areas in the U.S. during Q3 2021. Of the 203 Tribal lands that met sample count criteria for mobile performance, 124 showed a slower median download speed than the U.S. average of 44.84 Mbps. Fifty-eight Native areas showed a mobile download speed less than 25 Mbps and 17 had uploads slower than 3 Mbps. Lualualei Hawaiian Home Land, on the west side of Oahu, had one of the fastest median download speeds over mobile during Q3 2021 at 162.09 Mbps. Moapa River Indian Reservation in southern Nevada had one of the slowest median download speeds over mobile during the same period at 3.73 Mbps.

ookla_tribal-lands_us_mobile_1021

4G Availability varies widely between Tribal lands

Of the 217 Tribal lands with sufficient samples, 102 showed a 4G Availability (the percent of users on all devices that spend the majority of their time on 4G and above) lower than the U.S. average of 96.0% during Q3 2021. Nine Tribal lands showed 100% 4G Availability: Auburn Rancheria in California, Big Pine Reservation in California, Reno-Sparks Indian Colony in Nevada, Soboba Off-Reservation Trust Land in California, Sycuan Reservation in California, Viejas Reservation in California, Kapolei Hawaiian Home Land, Waimanalo Hawaiian Home Land and the Kiowa-Comanche-Apache-Fort Sill Apache/Caddo-Wichita-Delaware joint Oklahoma Tribal statistical area. Walker River Reservation in Nevada had one of the lowest 4G Availability calculations at 30.2%.

ookla_tribal-lands_us_4g-availability_1021g-1

The internet is a lifeline and a basic utility. While some Tribal lands do have good connectivity and speeds according to our data, those that do not are being further left behind. As experts in internet performance (but not Tribal policy), we are offering our full Tribal data set for anyone who would like to do further analyses. Download the full data set here.

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

Ookla for Good
Regulatory

About the Author

Kathy Macdonald

Ookla Research™ Articles
| October 5, 2021

GSMA Intelligence Uses Speedtest Data to Analyze Global Internet Performance During COVID-19 Pandemic

Global Speeds

As part of our Ookla for Good™ initiative, Ookla® maintains a data sharing partnership with GSMA Intelligence, the research arm of the GSMA. Speedtest Intelligence® data already features as a key indicator within the GSMA’s Mobile Connectivity Index, which tracks key enablers of internet adoption for 170 markets worldwide. Kalvin Bahia, Principal Economist at GSMA Intelligence, has recently published an analysis examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mobile network speeds: “How networks stayed the course as everyone stayed at home.”

It highlights that while the impact of the pandemic on internet speeds was transitory, many of the behavioral changes it has brought about, such as remote working and the increased use of video calling, are here to stay. The report calls on policymakers to learn from success stories where governments supported operators, for example by ensuring all spectrum licences are technology neutral, or by assigning temporary spectrum in an emergency. The supporting research leveraged fixed and mobile broadband data from Speedtest Intelligence for a period of 2 years, including data across the peak of the pandemic, including the implementation of “shelter in place” policies and beyond.

Key findings

  • Unprecedented demand on mobile networks. Following the outbreak of Covid-19 and the subsequent mitigation measures put in place by governments, there was unprecedented demand on mobile networks. Global mobile data traffic per user in 2020 increased more than ever before, reaching over 6 GB per month – double the amount of usage for 2018.
  • Lockdowns had a temporary impact on mobile speeds. Analysis of Ookla data for more than 170 countries shows a drop in global average download and upload speeds, as network congestion soared and consumers used their devices more indoors. For download speeds, the reduction proved to be temporary in most countries, and by the end of the year, average download speeds were 4 Mbps or 20% higher than the year before. Upload speeds took longer to recover – only just exceeding pre-pandemic levels by the end of the year. This echoes our analysis from earlier this year.
  • Traffic shifts as important as traffic growth. As work switched from business to residential areas and evening peak hours shifted to earlier in the day, operators redistributed and optimised data traffic flow. The impact of the pandemic on data usage is likely to be permanent, as many people continue to work from home and enjoy the online content that occupied them through lockdowns.
  • Learning lessons for the future. Many governments provided vital support for operators to help them manage the surge in traffic, for example by assigning additional temporary spectrum, making all spectrum technology neutral, and/or suspending regulatory fees. These measures offer lessons on how regulators and policymakers can support operators to be prepared for future emergencies, but also to help close the digital divide, driving a range of social and economic benefits.
  • 5G to drive additional capacity, and usage. Upgrading networks to 5G will drive capacity as well as usage. At the end of 2020, in countries that had achieved 5G adoption of at least 2%, average 5G download speeds were up to 10 times faster than on 4G. As a result, 5G users are currently consuming around twice as much mobile data as 4G users.

We are glad to work with organizations like the GSMA to provide data that can help improve the state of internet performance around the world. Read the full report or click here to learn more about Ookla for Good.

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

Global Speeds

About the Author

Kathy Macdonald

Ookla Research™ Articles
| June 8, 2021

Ookla for Good Adds 2019 Data and a New Collaboration with Mapbox

Ookla for Good

Access to reliable, high-speed internet has become more critical than ever for everyday life over the past year. Between remote work opportunities, remote learning, basic healthcare and even buying groceries, internet performance had a very personal impact. We’ve seen many new and compelling conversations exploring internet inequity, data affluence and digital divides around the world since the launch of our Ookla Open Datasets under the Ookla for Good™ program. Today we have two exciting announcements to keep growing those conversations: the release of our 2019 Global Fixed and Mobile Network Performance datasets and our new Ookla for Good partnership with the amazing people at Mapbox.

2019 Global Fixed Broadband and Mobile Network Performance Maps open dataset now available

Although the global pandemic is by no means over, many are ready to take a look back. In 2020 we announced Ookla Open Datasets that shared fixed and mobile performance data from across the globe. Today we are releasing the same open data for Q1-Q4 2019 to establish a baseline on network performance before the pandemic. We hope this data will enable conversations that continue to improve internet access for people around the world.

Ookla for Good partners with Mapbox

We are also excited to announce a new partnership with Mapbox that offers a new way to quickly and easily visualize some of our open data. The Mapbox Community and Ookla for Good teams were thrilled to work closely together to launch our first collaborative interactive open data map.

Choose Data Set

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Mean Download Speed Mbps

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This interactive map came about as we were exploring how we could make some aspects of our open datasets more easily accessible to a wider audience. Working with the Mapbox Community team allowed us to provide a quick, easily accessible visualization of the most recent data for those who want to tell a story or get a feel for the data — especially those who don’t have the time (or maybe technical know-how) to do a deep dive into the data in its entirety. This fulfills the Mapbox Community team’s mission — getting the best location tools into the hands of changemakers around the world— and Ookla for Good’s mission of helping make the internet better, faster and more accessible for everyone. Together, we believe we can help decision makers make better decisions and changemakers tell better stories.

Learn more about how we used Mapbox

We mapped our open data using the Mapbox Tiling Service in order to create vector tiles at different zoom levels. This helps us provide a useful image of internet performance across the world. The basemap was built using Mapbox Studio tools and the full map was put together using Mapbox GL JS to provide interactivity and more customized controls.

We look forward to seeing how you use Ookla’s open data in your projects and encourage you to play around with our new Mapbox map to visualize the possibilities. We’d love to see your work! Please share your projects on social media using the hashtag #OoklaForGood.

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

Ookla for Good

About the Author

Kathy Macdonald

Ookla Research™ Articles
| March 2, 2021

World Bank Uses Speedtest Data to Analyze Internet Performance in Africa

Ookla for Good


Early last year, Ookla® joined the World Bank’s Development Data Partnership platform as part of our Ookla for Good initiative. Working with such talented, data-driven people focused on the public good is exciting and we have been thrilled to see proposed ideas quickly develop into full research projects. Niccolò Comini, a Consultant in the Chief Economist’s Office of the Infrastructure Vice Presidency at the World Bank, recently published one such project, “The Effect of COVID-19 Lockdown Measures on Internet Speed: An Empirical Analysis of 18 Countries in Africa.”

Taking into consideration the digital divide challenges faced by so many, the report highlights the importance of reliable internet access for all — not only during COVID-19, but also moving forward in a world increasingly reliant on internet connectivity for learning and economic success. The supporting research leveraged fixed and mobile broadband data from Speedtest Intelligence® for a period of 12 weeks, across the peak of the pandemic and implementation of “shelter in place” policies.

Key findings

  • Increase in internet usage – The COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdown measures have increased the amount of internet traffic around the world. Countries in Africa reflect this global trend, reporting higher data traffic during the months in which “stay at home” orders were established. However, this increase in traffic was not temporary; countries continue to reflect a surge in traffic compared to the pre-lockdown weeks.
  • Public and private sector reaction – As a consequence of higher internet usage, public and private stakeholders have promoted a wide range of measures to facilitate access to the internet. For instance, some regulators have enabled temporary spectrum bands to meet the increase in demand while private operators have offered more affordable data plans.
  • Internet speed is slow – On average, the data recorded by Ookla Speedtest® reported low mobile and fixed internet speeds across the 18 African countries surveyed. Speed was below 10 Mbps, considered the lower bound for a good quality broadband service, even before the onset of the pandemic. In contrast to what might be expected in OECD countries, mobile internet generally provides faster service than fixed.
  • Effect of the lockdown on internet speed was modest and temporary – Findings from the sample of 18 African countries indicate a negative effect of the lockdown on mobile (-17%) and fixed internet speeds (-5%), particularly in the first week of lockdown. Some countries also experienced a decline before the stay at home orders, suggesting that some activities shifted to remote connectivity before the official lockdown mandates. However, networks across the continent reacted well.
  • Public and private sector partnerships and cooperation was and remains critical for ensuring network resilience – The findings of this study demonstrate the resiliency of digital infrastructure in Africa and also highlight and reflect the benefits of partnership between public and private stakeholders to manage traffic surges. The development community should encourage and leverage these partnerships to achieve the ambitious objective of universal access to the internet.

Read the full World Bank report.

We are glad to work with organizations like the World Bank to provide data that can help improve the state of internet performance around the world. Learn more about Ookla for Good.

Ookla retains ownership of this article including all of the intellectual property rights, data, content graphs and analysis. This article may not be quoted, reproduced, distributed or published for any commercial purpose without prior consent. Members of the press and others using the findings in this article for non-commercial purposes are welcome to publicly share and link to report information with attribution to Ookla.

Ookla for Good

About the Author

Kathy Macdonald