UPDATED: Another Internet speed measure, another middling performance
(UPDATE: See below for list of Minnesota cities.)
If you saw the New York Times story today about Idaho and its dead-last outcome in a fairly new Internet speed measurement, you might have been curious about where Minnesota ranked.
Twenty-third, if you include the District of Columbia. A representative from Pando Networks is promising a list of cities later today, which should show the variety around Minnesota. (SEE BELOW.)
That's about where Minnesota has been in similar rankings previously, nowhere near the Legislature-approved goal of being in the top five by 2015.
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In general, the coasts registered the highest speeds in a study done by Pando and released in July. Rhode Island was fastest -- 894 kilobytes per second for downloads of Pando-related products. Idaho registered at 318, and the Times story puts some flesh on the bones -- complaints of slow speeds in rural areas while businesses willing to pay have as good a service as anywhere. The paper even chronicles bears knocking out service.
Minnesota measured 498 kilobytes per second for Pando downloads.
Here's the release Pando put out July 27.
UPDATE: Here's the list of Minnesota cities and their download speeds that Pando Networks supplied, slowest to fastest. Third-ring suburbs look good but Mankato takes the speed prize, an interesting contrast to other outstate cities Duluth and St. Cloud.
Duluth 444
Saint Cloud 447
Osseo 501
Burnsville 517
Saint Paul 548
Rochester 548
Minneapolis 589
Lakeville 608
Maple Grove 661
Eden Prairie 788
Champlin 790
Mankato 937