The United States lags in Internet infrastructure
As the only industrialized nation yet to implement a national high speed Internet policy, it should not come as a surprise that the US is ranked 15th of the 30 developed countries in overall penetration, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). For comparison, between 2005 and 2007 Denmark improved high speed Internet penetration 25 to 34.3 connections per 100 inhabitants, while the United States has only improved from 16.8 to 22.1.
For more comparisons between the US and other countries, most of whom have a national high speed Internet policy, click here to see a chart from OECD.
According to the Economic Policy Institute,
Expanding broadband infrastructure in the United States would not simply improve the speed of connections for entertainment purposes, but it will also bring a wealth of knowledge to more citizens in more areas. With greater reach, the United States could see improvements in education, health care, and first-responder capabilities as communications become faster, more efficient, and more effective.
Speed Matters has highlighted again and again the importance of both keeping up the technological pace internationally as well as establishing a national high speed policy. Charts like these put in stark illustration the situation that the United States -- without a high speed policy -- is currently in.
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