Technological improvements forced in the event of a pandemic, including better internet speed nationwide

There is no doubt that the effects of the pandemic have been massive around the world. In October 2020, a shocking joint statement was released, stressing that due to the pandemic, the number of malnourished people worldwide could reach 132 million by the end of 2020. International Labor Organization, Organization for food and agriculture, International Fund for Agricultural Development and the World Health Organization have all teamed up to release the alarming prediction.

For companies around the world, the estimated impact was also difficult. The report estimates that nearly half of 3.3 billion people the workforce risked losing its means of subsistence.

Amid these startling statistics, analysts have started looking for small but useful silver liners, positive areas that companies need to recognize and develop their capabilities on. There was a need to explore these areas for improvement as many of the benefits of the traditional setup were no longer accessible due to mobility restrictions caused by COVID-19 lockdowns. Strengthening efficiency required other avenues.

Lining: Faster Internet

The silver lining for large businesses, small and medium businesses, professionals and students, has manifested itself in the form of increased internet speeds. This year, the biggest speed increase was recorded by Alaska, which saw growth of over 170%. It was followed by Idaho, Kentucky, Iowa and Wyoming in the top five with increases of 77.7%, 70.6%, 64% and 62.6% respectively.

Average internet speed in the United States has increased to 118.4 Mbps from its pre-pandemic level of 84.5 Mbps, a growth of over 40%. The only state to see a drop was West Virginia, whose average speed fell to 48.7 Mbps from a pre-pandemic level of 59.2 Mbps. Despite West Virginia’s decline, overall internet performance was better than in 2020. Last year, download speeds fell in at least five states.

The increase in internet speed is significant in many ways. Today, a robust Internet means more inclusion, accessibility and ease of work. Getting better speed at the same cost as before the pandemic improves efficiency. Better internet services have led to better remote working opportunities.

Why internet speed has increased

Throughout the pandemic, various businesses have been forced to close their physical locations. In addition, bands of people have returned to their countries of origin, often from dear towns. Not having an adequate internet connection would have hampered their performance, thus hampering the delivery efficiency of many companies. A drop in efficiency could have snowballed and caused a further worsening of the economy.

Denying the scope of any potential obstacles, as described above, internet speeds across states have continued to improve. In 2020, the largest increase was recorded in the state of Wyoming, 52%. Alaska, which as mentioned above grew over 170% in 2021, saw a speed increase of only 40% in 2020. The other three states in the top five for speeds The most improved internet last year included Kentucky, Kansas, and Missouri. with increases of 37%, 36% and 31%.

As the pandemic continued, the importance of internet speed was recognized across industries and states. Across the United States, several state-sponsored initiatives have helped accelerate improvements. A statewide push from the Wyoming Broadband Council, Kentucky’s “KentuckyWired” project (building over 3,000 miles of fiber-optic internet cables to increase speed in rural areas) and the investment of Examples of such initiatives are $ 50 million Missouri.