UK is at 24th place in broadband table, Hong Kong is top

SOUTH KOREA not being number one for consumer broadband may be a shock to some but sadly the UK hovering at 24th place is probably not.

Point Topic, a broadband analysis firm, has released its latest rankings for consumer broadband value for money and placed the UK down at a lowly 24th position. Hong Kong meanwhile sits at the top of the list.

The firm analyses various broadband metrics, and this month it released its quarterly broadband economics figures. The rankings are based on the cost for a one year connection and the charges for one megabit of bandwidth.

Perhaps surprisingly, given the noise the government makes about its high speed pretensions, the UK sits well outside the top ten. Well outside the top ten, and even outside the top twenty. To be in that top ten having fibre to your home is critical.

"Nine of the ten best value tariffs are either pure fibre or hybrid offerings where fibre is a significant part of the local loop. The exception is Germany where Unity Media offer a cable service that is very competitive," said Fiona Vanier, senior analyst at Point Topic.

"Bandwidth will continue to increase as fibre edges closer to the consumer. Higher speeds generally mean better value for the consumer. All that remains is to work out how best to use it."

Hong Kong had the connection that was the best value for money, and here a Fibre Home 1000 connection from HKBN would set you back $0.028 per Mb. This tariff easily beat Japan in second place where the same would cost you $0.048, and Romania in third with its $0.163 charges.

The UK, in 24th place, has a cost of $0.912, and the US at 30th charges $1.315.

The most expensive charges can be found in Peru, where users should expect to part with $209.29 per Mb. It's no wonder Paddington moved. µ