by AKANI CHAUKE
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – SOUTH Africa falls behind other higher-income countries in terms of internet quality.
This according to a new study by the cyber security company, Surfshark, based on the annual Digital Quality of Life Index.
Among its findings, higher income does not necessarily mean that the country has affordable, high-quality internet.
Other factors, such as the quality of the e-infrastructure in the geographical region, might have an even more significant impact.
For example, South Africa is considered to be a higher income country, but its fixed internet speed (70 Mbps) is twice lower than the average in higher income countries.
On the other hand, the Philippines – a lower income country – has three times faster fixed internet (119 Mbps) than the average in the lower income group.
The average time that people work to afford the cheapest internet in lower-income countries is up to four times higher than that in wealthier countries.
Moreover, poor countries have, on average, a three times slower internet connection.
One-third (39 out of 120) of analyzed countries are classed as lower income and almost half of the global population lives there.
“Chances are high that if you live in a lower-income country, you will pay far more for the internet than your peers in higher-income countries, and your internet will also be much slower,” Surfshark summarised.
– CAJ News