Cambridge, MA - Jul 26, 2011 - Akamai Technologies released its State of the Internet report for the first quarter of 2011. This report is based on data gathered from the Akamai Internet platform, which (according to Akamai) carries between 15 and 30 percent of the traffic on the Internet at any given time. The data gives insight in to statistics regarding the fastest and slowest regions for connection speed, as well as the highest performing areas for mobile connectivity (among other things). Highlights follow.

The number of unique IP addresses connecting to the Akamai platform was more than 584 million, up 20 percent year over year, and about 5 percent just over the last quarter of 2010.

The list of the 100 fastest cities worldwide is dominated by Japan, with 61. South Korea had 5. Lyse, Norway, was the fastest in Europe (at #33). 18 cities in the U.S. made the list, with Riverside, CA, ranked fastest in the U.S. at #39.

The average measured connection speed for mobile users, on a provider-by-provider basis, ranged from 163kb/s up to 6Mb/s. A provider in Poland delivered the highest average mobile connection speed in the first quarter of this year.

The number of narrow band connections (defined by Akamai as less than 256kb/s) was down by 15 percent in the first quarter; only 3.3 percent of users connecting to Akamai are at that speed or less.