Motherboard reports on a study of ISPs done by PC Mag…
A new study once again highlights how community-run internet service providers (ISPs) offer better, faster broadband than their private sector counterparts.
Using data from 356,925 broadband speed tests conducted over a year, PCMag recently compiled a list of the fastest ISPs in America. ISPs were then affixed a PCMag Speed Index score based on a combination of line performance, upload, and download speeds.
When all regional ISPs were compared side by side, the fastest ISP in America was independent California ISP Sonic, with a score of 610.6. Sonic has been working with select California communities to leverage their publicly-owned fiber networks.
All told, six of the ten fastest ISPs in the States were either directly run by a local community, or involved some form of partnership between the public and private sectors.
PC Mag provides top providers by region…
North Central
Includes: IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, SD, and WI
This area remains a Google Fiber stronghold, thanks to the (few) deployments there. It’s also worth noting that this isn’t even Google Fiber’s strongest showing in the North Central region for us; in 2017, it had a PSI of 287.4, and dipped even futher to 210.9 last year. Allo and MetroNet are in the same spots they had last year, albeit with higher PSI scores. The new addition is FairlawnGig of Fairlawn, OH, a one-city ISP that stormed onto this list with a score that even outperforms our old friends at Midco.
Comparing the North Central states, here’s how MN ranks in terms of fastest internet
- North Dakota – 115.7
- Kansas – 82.1
- Nebraska – 78.9
- South Dakota – 77.4
- Michigan – 75.1
- Missouri – 72
- Indiana – 70.1
- Minnesota – 67.2
- Wisconsin – 65
- Illinois – 63.2
- Iowa – 61.5
- Ohio – 60.8
So we’re not fastest according to PC Mag – but I want to remind folks that we recently did well for Midwest ranking comparing urban and rural county speeds – especially for high speeds. Maybe we’re not fastest according to PC Mag – but we’re more ubiquitous.