Americans are usually getting substantially faster Internet speeds than several years past, but growth is not even determined by the kind of connections, a government report said Wednesday.
The Federal Communications Commission said typical download speeds tripled to September 2014 from March 2011, the latest figures available from a survey of leading US Internet providers.
“Quicker, better broadband will unleash new inventions and new services to enhance the lives of the American people. This all-inclusive evaluation of broadband performance helps to keep consumers informed and hold ISPs responsible.”
The FCC noted that some kinds of service including DSL over phone lines have neglected to stay informed about fiber and cable speeds.
Typical real download speed increased to almost 31 Mbps in September 2014 from 10 megabits per second in March 2011, the report said.
The US has lagged other developed countries in Internet speeds recently. A report by Akamai rated the United States 17th in speed that was on-line before this year.
The FCC report comes as some Americans are switching to the mobile Internet.
A Pew Research Center survey found 67 percent of Americans had high speed Internet at home in 2015, down marginally from 70 percent in 2013.
Pew said that this “modest, but statistically significant” decline sets broadband back to 2012 degrees, and is probably because of the growing variety of adults who are “smartphone only” Internet users.
The decline “could represent a blip or might be a more drawn-out reality,” the Pew report said.