Does US lag in internet speed over other countries?

The US is lagging far behind other industrial nations in the availability and high speed internet broadband connection, according to the Communications Workers of America (CWA) report.

The report states that the average download speed in South Korea is 20.4 mbps, four times faster than the US average of 5.1 mbps. Japan, Sweden and the Netherlands follow South Korea with an average of 15.8 mbps, 12.8 mbps and 11.0 mbps respectively.

The new research indicates that between 2007 and 2009, the average download internet speed in the US has increased by only 1.6 mbps, from 3.5 mbps in 2007 to 5.1 mbps in 2009. At this rate, it is likely to take the US 15 years to catch up with current internet speed in South Korea, the country with the fastest average internet connection.

The report says, "Our nation continues to fall far behind other countries. People in Japan can upload a high-definition video in 12 minutes, compared to a grueling 2.5 hours at the US average upload speed." The 2009 speed test done by speedmaters.org shows that only 20 percent of those who took the test have internet speed in the range of the top three ranked countries - South Korea, Japan and Sweden. Even more alarming, 18 percent do not even meet the FCC (Federal Communication Commission) definition for current - generation broadband as an always-on internet connection of at least 768 kbps downstream.

Continued job growth, innovation and rural development require high-speed, universal networks. Data shows that for every $5 billion invested in broadband infrastructure to create these networks, 97,500 new jobs in the telecommunications, computer and IT sectors will be created.

Larry Cohen, President, CWA said, "Every American should have affordable access to high-speed internet, no matter where they live. Unfortunately, fragmented government programs and uneven private sector responses to build out internet access have left a digital divide across the country."

The US President Barack Obama has pledged to put broadband in every home and the FCC has embarked on an ambitious project to bring high-speed internet access to every corner of the country.

According to the CWA report, the fastest download speed in the US is in the northeastern parts of the country while the slowest is in states such as Alaska, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.

Agencies

Are Indian companies still high on hiring?

Despite weaker forecast, employers in India remain among the most optimistic, according to a Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

Though moving at a slower pace, the employers now report the second strongest hiring intentions globally, with a Net Employment Outlook (NEO) of 19 per cent. However, this Outlook represents a considerable decrease of 24 percentage points quarter-over-quarter and 27 percentage point’s year-over-year, the survey finds out.

Of the 33 countries and territories surveyed globally this quarter, employers in Peru are the most optimistic, with an NEO of 24 per cent. The NEO is derived by taking the percentage of employers anticipating total employment to increase and subtracting from this the percentage expecting to see a decrease in employment at their location over the next quarter.

“Though hiring intentions remain positive, Indian employers are reporting a much slower hiring pace, compared to the last quarter and year, says Manpower India MD Naresh Malhan. Employers in all the seven industry sectors and four regions have reported considerable decline in anticipated hiring activity for the first quarter of the New Year, its weakest since Q3 2005.

“The times may seem challenging, but the employment scenario in the country is not as gloomy as the rest of the world, and according to the survey, India will be one of the actively hiring nations for Q1 of 2009.”

Hiring-confidence of employers in India is the strongest of all the eight countries and territories across the Asia-Pacific region for the first quarter of 2009. Of the 3,557 employers surveyed, 22 per cent expect an increase in staffing levels in the quarter, 4 per cent anticipate a decrease, and 63 per cent are expecting no change.

Employers in mining & construction sector, for the third consecutive quarter, reported the most optimistic hiring intentions with an NEO of 23 per cent, though the Outlook shows a steep decline in employer hiring-confidence of 31 and 30 percentage points quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year, respectively.

Employers in services sector and mining & construction sector are expecting the most active hiring environment in the coming quarter with a Net Employment Outlook of 23 per cent.

Wholesale & retail trade employers reported the least optimistic hiring intentions with a Net Employment Outlook of 11 per cent.


Source: Times of India