Countries with the Fastest Internet in the World (2026 Rankings vs 2010)

Which country has the fastest internet? When we wrote this post in 2010, South Korea led the world with an average of about 17 Mbit/s, the US was 12th, and India was far behind at under 1 Mbit/s. Fibre broadband and 5G have changed everything since then. Here’s who has the fastest internet speeds in the world now, how India compares, and how to test your own connection.

Quick answer: In recent editions of Ookla’s Speedtest Global Index, the UAE and Qatar have had the fastest mobile internet (around 500 Mbps median download), while Singapore has led fixed broadband (around 390 Mbps). Rankings change every month.

Fastest mobile internet by country

Gulf countries lead the world in mobile speeds thanks to heavy investment in 5G. Recent Speedtest Global Index figures:

Fastest fixed broadband by country

For the latest month’s full list of more than 100 countries, see the Speedtest Global Index.

What changed since 2010

• Speeds are 20 to 30 times faster. The world’s fastest average in 2010 was about 17 Mbit/s. Today many countries have median speeds of several hundred Mbps.
• South Korea is no longer alone at the top. Its speeds are still excellent, but Singapore, the Gulf states, Chile and Hong Kong have overtaken it in the rankings.
• Mobile caught up with broadband. In 2010 mobile data was slow 3G. Today 5G phones in the Gulf beat most home broadband connections.

How fast is the internet in India?

India has been one of the biggest improvers. Its average speed was under 1 Mbit/s in 2010 (45th of 50 countries in the study we reported). The launch of 5G from October 2022 and rapid growth of home fibre have pushed India far up the mobile rankings, with typical 5G speeds now in the hundreds of Mbps in many cities. Check the Speedtest Global Index for India’s current rank, which changes monthly.

How to test your internet speed

• Speedtest by Ookla: the most popular test, with apps for phones and computers.
• Fast.com: Netflix’s simple one-click speed test.
• Google: search “internet speed test” and click Run speed test.

Test a few times at different times of day, and on a cable as well as Wi-Fi, to get a fair picture.

Tips to get faster home internet

• Put your Wi-Fi router in a central, open spot, away from walls and appliances.
• Use the 5 GHz (or 6 GHz) Wi-Fi band for nearby devices, which is faster than 2.4 GHz.
• Restart your router occasionally and keep its firmware updated.
• Consider a mesh Wi-Fi system for large homes.
• If speeds are always far below your plan, contact your provider or switch to fibre.

Frequently asked questions

Which country has the fastest internet in the world?

It depends on the type. The UAE has recently led mobile speeds and Singapore fixed broadband in Ookla’s Speedtest Global Index.

What is a good internet speed for a home?

For most families, 100 Mbps or more handles HD and 4K streaming, video calls and gaming on several devices at once.

Why is my internet slower than my plan?

Wi-Fi distance and interference, busy evening hours, old routers and older devices can all reduce speeds. Test on a wired connection to see what your line really delivers.