A study found that technical communication standards and their costs in the Netherlands are the most optimal for adopting Metaverse technologies.
Analysts at uSwitch, specializing in compiling and comparing information on the quality of mobile and Internet communications, made a rating of countries that are hypothetically ready for widespread adoption of Metaverse technologies.
The Netherlands took the lead. According to uSwitch, the country has an available median fixed broadband speed of 106.51 Mbps for the best monthly package — $46.17. The nation is also one of the leaders in high-tech production. The Global Economy reports that high-tech exports exceeded $101 billion in 2021, which is ~$6,000 per citizen.
Here are other countries ranked in the top 5 that are close to achieving the speed-to-cost ratio required for the widespread adoption of Metaverse technologies:
- Switzerland. Median fixed broadband speed of 122.76 Mbps for $63.73 per month.
- Lithuania. Median fixed broadband speed of 87.21 Mbps for $11.13 per month.
- Malta. Median fixed broadband speed of 87.36 Mbps for $36.19 per month.
- France. Median fixed broadband speed of 105.23 Mbps for $28.92 per month.
Besides the speed and cost of access to the global network, as well as average high-tech exports per capita, the number of blockchain startups providing financial services was also considered in the rankings. Analysts at uSwitch believe blockchain technology is essential in building the “Metaverse economy.” Another critical factor influencing the rating was the number of Google searches on the Metaverse topic. This can reflect the real interest of the citizens of a particular country in technology.
Therefore, each category had its own leader. The fastest Internet connection is in the U.S. — 167.36 Mbps, and the cheapest in Romania — $9 per month. Ireland has the highest high-tech exports per capita — $8,450. Cyprus has the largest number of blockchain startups, with 42.8 per 1 million people. Moreover, Cypriots express the highest interest in virtual worlds — 34,082 Google searches per 1 million people related to Metaverses.
Notably, China, whose government has recently announced ambitious plans for the virtual reality industry, wasn’t included in the uSwitch ranking.
A recent study showed that over 90% of consumers and 70% of brands are ready to use virtual space in the near future.
