MARYLAND --Maryland is leading the nation when it comes to Internet speeds. Web watchdog HighSpeedInternet.com says the state's average speed is about 65 megabits-per-second, well above the national average of just over 42 megabits-per-second.
New Jersey, Delaware, Rhode Island and Virginia round out the top five, but those four states all come in under 60 megabits-per-second.
“In 2016, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) found that 92.3% of Americans have access to speeds of 25 Mbps or more—but more than 24 million Americans don’t have access to internet speeds that meet 25 Mbps,” Catherine McNally, Internet Specialist at HighSpeedInternet.com says.
5G technology could be the answer to bringing high speed internet to communities who previously couldn’t afford broadband.
McNally says, “Because 5G nodes don’t necessarily require as much infrastructure as a cell tower, they can be used in areas lacking wireless coverage. This will extend wireless speeds of at least 10 Mbps (the FCC’s current definition of mobile LTE broadband) to rural areas lacking in Internet options. If done right, 5G will help level the current rural-urban divide when it comes to Internet speeds, so I think the hype is warranted.”
The bad news is that Maryland is lagging behind a number of states when it comes to prepping for 5G upgrades.
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