internet webResearch by M-Lab, an open source project that monitors global internet performance, showed that in late March, most people in 62 percent of U.S. counties did not have the government’s minimum download speed for broadband internet, as usage soared amid various “shelter-in-place” advisories.

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are failing to meet the U.S. government’s standard for download speed, which impacts uses such as video streaming, for most of their customers, according to M-Lab. In 29 percent of counties, most customers are not getting the government-required upload speed. ISPs must also deliver a connection that has a minimum 3Mbps upload speed to meet the FCC standard for broadband.

The research, featured in a Guardian article, infers that the lack of internet access is tantamount to a public health risk, as the internet is the primary source of COVID-19 information and resources that the public needs to stay safe.

Read the full article from The Guardian here: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/13/coronavirus-covid-19-exposes-cracks-us-digital-divide