The Netradar map -- US East Coast. Credit: Netradar

People have the fastest mobile Internet connections in the world in Denmark (22.3 Mbit/s), followed by Singapore (16.9 Mbit/s), Switzerland (16.6 Mbit/s), Norway (14.8 Mbit/s) and Korea (13.0 Mbit/s).

The result is based on measurements by ordinary mobile phone using Netradar, a free mobile application to analyze the quality of mobile connections and devices. When using the application, users are presented with data about the quality of their connectivity. Simultaneously, this data is uploaded anonymously to the Netradar database to be used in public coverage maps and further research. Impartial Netradar application is developed and globally run by Aalto University in Finland.

"Several factors explain why mobile phone users reach different Internet speeds in different countries. Mobile Internet speed depends not only on mobile network operators and the congestion of the networks, but also on used devices, speed limitations in the subscriptions, user's distance from the operator's antenna, landscape, and available radio technologies," says Professor Jukka Manner, leader of the Netradar project at Aalto University.

The free Netradar app measures network quality in terms of download and upload , latency and signal strength, problems and the performance of individual brands of smartphones and tablets. Mobile device users can download the Netradar app for Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Blackberry, Nokia X, Meego, Symbian and Jolla/Sailfish.

The Netradar Analysis "Mobile Internet in the World 2014" was released today.

  • The Netradar map -- Europe. Credit: Netradar

  • A user with Netrarad in Berlin, Germany. Credit: Netradar / Visa Noronen

More information: Maps of mobile Internet speeds measured around the world are displayed at www.netradar.org. Netradar mobile network maps can also be viewed at www.internetsociety.org/netradar

Provided by Aalto University