TOP 10 Countries by Median Fixed Broadband Download Speed (2025)
This ranking uses the median download speed for fixed broadband tests: half of tests are faster and half are slower. The median is a practical “typical user” measure because it is not dominated by a small number of ultra-fast lines.
Values below are the October 2025 fixed broadband medians (year-month = 2025-10) from Speedtest Global Index.
Top 10 snapshot (Speedtest Global Index, fixed broadband, 2025-10)
| Rank | Country / territory | Median download (Mbps) | Vintage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | 410.06 | 2025-10 |
| 2 | Chile | 360.89 | 2025-10 |
| 3 | Hong Kong (China) | 343.36 | 2025-10 |
| 4 | United Arab Emirates | 343.28 | 2025-10 |
| 5 | France | 332.74 | 2025-10 |
| 6 | Macau (China) | 314.32 | 2025-10 |
| 7 | United States | 298.38 | 2025-10 |
| 8 | Iceland | 289.98 | 2025-10 |
| 9 | Thailand | 272.65 | 2025-10 |
| 10 | Vietnam | 271.95 | 2025-10 |
Definition note: fixed broadband refers to country-level fixed broadband results within Speedtest Global Index reporting (wired/fixed access as defined by the source).
Chart 1. Median fixed broadband download — Top 10 (Mbps)
Chart height is constrained to keep the layout stable. If the chart cannot load, the fallback dataset remains visible.
- Singapore — 410.06
- Chile — 360.89
- Hong Kong (China) — 343.36
- United Arab Emirates — 343.28
- France — 332.74
- Macau (China) — 314.32
- United States — 298.38
- Iceland — 289.98
- Thailand — 272.65
- Vietnam — 271.95
Methodology and transparency (what is stored with each value)
- Indicator: Median fixed broadband download speed.
- Geography: Country / territory.
- Vintage: 2025-10 (October 2025, monthly snapshot).
- Primary source: Speedtest Global Index (Fixed Broadband).
- Processing: Keep original units (Mbps), keep two decimals, store rank derived from sorting by the median value for the same vintage.
- Limitations: Crowdsourced tests reflect device capability, in-home Wi-Fi, plan mix, and who chooses to test; month-to-month changes can include sampling shifts.
What stands out in the Top 10
- Fibre density still dominates: the leaders tend to be places where fibre is the default last-mile technology.
- Small markets can move fast: compact geographies simplify rollout and shorten the path to nationwide upgrades.
- Competition matters: multiple providers and clear wholesale rules tend to coincide with higher medians.
- National medians hide internal gaps: large countries can have excellent metro speeds and weaker rural performance at the same time.
What this means for readers
A high national median usually signals modern access networks, but it does not guarantee uniform performance in every neighbourhood. For practical decisions (remote work, cloud backups, gaming, or relocating), pair national medians with local coverage maps, plan pricing, and upload/latency indicators.
FAQ
Why use the median instead of the average?
Is “fixed broadband” the same as fibre?
Can a country jump in the ranking quickly?
Why do my home results differ from the national median?
How much faster did fixed broadband get — and what happened to the gap?
Speed gains can be dramatic at national level, while internal divides persist. OECD analysis using Ookla data shows that median fixed download speeds in OECD countries rose sharply from Q4 2019 to Q4 2024, but the absolute gap between metropolitan regions and regions far from metropolitan areas widened over the same period.
The numbers below are taken directly from OECD’s 2025 publication and keep the original quarter “vintage” for reproducibility.
Table 2. OECD summary (Ookla-based), Q4 2019 vs Q4 2024
| Indicator | Q4 2019 | Q4 2024 | Change | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OECD median fixed download speed (Mbps) | 52.9 | 177.8 | +236.3% | OECD average of country medians, weighted by the number of tests (34 member countries with data availability) |
| Metro vs far-from-metro gap (Mbps) | 22.3 | 58.4 | +36.1 | Absolute gap in Mbps (levels), not a percentage gap. |
| Fixed network response time (latency) | — | — | −23.0% | OECD reports a reduction over the same period. |
Source: OECD (2025), “Closing Broadband Connectivity Divides for All: From Evidence to Practice”.
Chart 2. OECD: median speed growth vs widening absolute gap
Chart height is constrained. If the chart cannot load, the fallback dataset remains visible.
- OECD median fixed download (Mbps): 52.9 (Q4 2019) → 177.8 (Q4 2024)
- Metro vs far-from-metro gap (Mbps): 22.3 (Q4 2019) → 58.4 (Q4 2024)
- Fixed latency: −23.0% (Q4 2019 → Q4 2024)
How to read rankings without over-interpreting them
- Median is not universal service: half of users are below the median by definition.
- Look for geography splits: national medians can rise while rural areas fall further behind in absolute Mbps.
- Speed is not the only quality signal: latency and consistency often explain user experience better than headline Mbps alone.
- Keep vintages explicit: store month/quarter and avoid comparing mismatched periods.
Interpretation: what the Top 10 actually signals
A Top-10 position in median fixed download speed is usually a signal of modern access networks (often fibre-deep), strong backhaul capacity, and enough competitive pressure for higher-tier plans to be common in the test population. It is not, by itself, proof that every household enjoys the same experience.
Use country medians as a comparable headline, then validate with coverage, take-up, affordability, and quality indicators (latency, stability).
Policy takeaways from high-performing fixed broadband markets
- Build fibre where economics allow it: medians tend to rise fastest when fibre becomes the default for new connections.
- Lower deployment friction: permitting, rights-of-way, and pole/duct access rules often decide rollout speed.
- Enable competition on infrastructure: clear wholesale terms and access frameworks can widen choice without duplicating every asset.
- Target the “last 10–20%”: subsidies and smart procurement help avoid rural areas falling behind in absolute Mbps even as national medians rise.
- Measure more than throughput: latency and consistency should sit next to Mbps in public dashboards.
Sources
-
Ookla — Speedtest Global Index (Fixed Broadband)
Monthly country medians for fixed broadband download speed. This article uses the October 2025 (2025-10) snapshot for the Top 10 table and Chart 1.
-
OECD (2025) — Closing Broadband Connectivity Divides for All (PDF)
Provides Ookla-based OECD aggregates and explains how median fixed speeds rose from 52.9 Mbps (Q4 2019) to 177.8 Mbps (Q4 2024) while absolute gaps widened (Table 2 and Chart 2).
-
M-Lab — Open data portal
Independent measurement datasets (e.g., NDT). Useful for validation and triangulation alongside Speedtest-based indices.
-
ITU — ICT statistics
Context indicators such as broadband penetration, international bandwidth, and other infrastructure measures to interpret speed rankings.
Update rule for production: store the month/quarter “vintage” for every value, keep the raw unit (Mbps), and retain a source tag so revisions are auditable.
Download: Fixed broadband speed charts (ZIP)
Ready-to-use PNG exports of the charts used in the article: Top-10 bar chart and the OECD comparison line chart.
fb_speed_bar_chart.png— bar chart: median fixed broadband download, Top-10fb_speed_oecd_line_chart.png— line chart: OECD median speed and metro gap (Q4 2019 → Q4 2024)
