One benefit of the pandemic? Faster internet.
The website WhistleOut, a consumer review site that helps consumers compare the products and offerings of companies in a variety of different mediums has compiled a list of how the pandemic has affected internet speeds and connectivity in all 50 states. They reviewed over 717 thousand broadband and home internet speed tests, comparing the average results per state from the period prior to the COVID-19 U.S. outbreak (mid-January to mid-March 2020) to the period after the pandemic started (mid-March to early July 2020). Cell phone internet didn’t count.
The results put Wyoming indisputably on top. During the pandemic, our state has seen average download speeds increase by 52%. As comparison, Alaska came in 2nd with a 40% increase. The top 5 states – Wyoming, Alaska, Kentucky, Kansas, and Missouri – all have common thread in state-sponsored internet connectivity initiatives, specifically to increase internet access in rural communities. This whooping surge of speed can be seen as an excellent commendation of the Wyoming Broadband Council and its backing from the state. Even despite the Zoom-ing and streaming that shot up during COVID-19, Wyoming’s internet was faster than ever.
West Virginia was at dead last, actually seeing a 13% decrease in its internet speed, followed by Hawaii, Delaware, Connecticut, and Washington D.C.
You can explore the full story here: https://www.whistleout.com/Internet/Guides/pandemic-internet-speed-changes
