Internet users in Fort Wayne don’t twiddle their thumbs.
Northfield, Minn.-based ID Insight on Wednesday said Allen County is one of the nation’s fastest Web connection areas. The “Fastest 25” list also included Delaware County, which includes Muncie, at No. 7. Allen County was No. 21.
“We thought it was vital to create the Fastest 25 list, because you can look most anywhere and hear about how much speed is available, but that’s not the only point,” Adam Elliott, president of ID Insight, said in a statement.
“It is also critical to understand how much of this available speed is actually being consumed.”
His company provides next-generation verification, authentication and fraud solutions to financial services firms, credit issuers, retailers, online merchants and wireless providers.
Those who live in the top Internet counties “are using these services to improve their everyday lives and their business processes,” Elliot said.
Fast connections were based on median download speed per second and the median upload speed per second.
Todor Cooklev, founding director of the IPFW Wireless Technology Center, believes Verizon’s use of Fort Wayne as a test market played a part in Allen County’s good showing.
“Verizon FiOS, which is their fiber-optic system, probably had a lot to do with this,” Cooklev said.
Still, he said such rankings have to be taken with a grain of salt.
“It’s nice, and it does say something about our infrastructure,” Cooklev said. “But will it help attract businesses to the area? Every little bit helps, but there are other factors as well.”
