In an increasingly digitised world, the speed of your internet connection matters. It dictates how you engage with the world, across e-commerce, social media, work and education services. Online and cloud-based services are where the world is moving to or has moved to. Your ability to access the internet at speed is important.
Some countries have invested heavily in fixed broadband services, such as Singapore who have the fastest fixed broadband speeds at 262mbps. By and large small landmass countries excel at fast fixed broadband internet speeds. This includes Hong Kong, Monaco, and Switzerland in the top four. Asia dominates the top speeds for fixed broadband speed.
For some Trans-Tasman rivalry, New Zealand at 164mbs sits well above Australia’s 85mbps.
But the world does not solely rely on fixed broadband internet. Some countries, in some cases due to landmass size and/or dispersion of the population, have taken the lead on mobile internet speeds. With the top 14 countries offering mobile data speeds higher than 100mbps. However, not all countries with strong mobile services are large landmass or have a highly dispersed population.
The Trans-Tasman competition reverses when it comes to mobile internet speeds, with Australia at 126mbps leading New Zealand with 72mbps.
One thing we must state is there is no guarantee you will get those speeds in either fixed or mobile format. There are many things that impact the speed you get. As a pre COVID-19 frequent flyer around the Asia Pacific region, airport lounge Wi-Fi access speed became an interesting observation point while waiting for a flight. Needless to say, Asian countries won hands down, with the Taiwan International Airport providing free unlimited Wi-Fi access at 75mbps or higher speed!
The full data set for both fixed and mobile internet speeds can be viewed at the Visual Capitalist.
Then there is the transition to 5G and what that means for internet access and the types of services that can be accessed. As with most technological advancements, there will be a range of responses, from the conspiracy theorists to the early adopters and cryptocurrency miners!
What does it mean for you as an investor? Change and access to services within an online framework will continue to grow. Data centres, internet-based infrastructure, and cyber protection services will be increasingly important, which may provide investment opportunities. As is the case with all investments, it is important to ensure you understand what you are investing in, what the financial product is, and how it meets your needs and objectives. If you’re not sure, please seek advice.
You might also want to check your internet speed.
Research IP delivers high quality investment fund research and consultancy services to financial advisers, charities & NFPs and the broader financial services industry. Our experience spans well over 20 years working directly across the multiple facets of finance, so we understand the key drivers and challenges for managers, as well as the impact for investors and the broader industry.
We strive to give you the best information, so you can help your clients make better decisions, and feel more confident about doing business with you. We believe that not only can everybody win, everybody should.
Reach out to us today about your research and consulting needs, and how to make the data work for you, and your clients.
Would you like to see research on a Managed Fund, then enquire here?
Sources: Visual Capitalist https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-the-fastest-and-slowest-internet-speeds-in-the-world/
Image credit: Visual Capitalist
Comments are closed