We're NOT #1: U.S. Ranks #28 In Internet Speed

One of the enduring myths promulgated by many conservatives is that "the United States is the best country in the world," usually condensed to a meaningless slogan "We're #1." For example, during the ongoing health care reform debate, Republicans keep on claiming that "The United States has the best health care in the world" when most independent assessments rank France as having the world's best health care system.

Recently, a report ranking the world's countries on average internet speeds came out and the United States (home of Microsoft, Google, Yahoo, etc) was listed at #28. South Korea was first with an average speed of 20.4 Mbps, ahead of Japan with an average of 15.8 MBps. The Los Angeles Times covered the report from Speed Matters, a publicationof the Communications Workers of America and said:

The study also pointed to the relatively slow rate at which the average U.S. broadband speed rose in recent years, gaining only about 1.6 Mpbs since May 2007. That was a much slower increase than was seen in the U.S. states with the fastest speeds.

California, perhaps the nation's most high-tech-friendly state, ranked only 11th among the 50 states, well behind the national leaders. Still, the state's 6.6 Mbps average put it ahead of where it was two years ago, when it ranked 22nd among states, with barely more than 3 Mbps.

Delaware residents now enjoy the nation's fastest broadband at 9.9 Mbs, nearly twice the national average -- and up more than 5 Mpbs since 2007. At the lower end of the speed range, sparsely inhabited states such as Idaho, Alaska and Montana were well below the national average, clocking in around 2.5 Mbps.

Hat/tip Harry Shearer of KCRW's Le Show.