Washington - Internet download speeds in the U.S. have gotten only slightly faster over the past year, still lagging well behind those in many other nations, according to a new study by Communications Workers of America (CWA).

The report, based on data from nearly 230,000 Internet users who participated in an online test, found that the median download speed in the U.S. is 2.3 megabits per second (mbps), up 0.4 in the past year.

The study's authors compared that to average download speeds in Japan of 63 mbps, in South Korea of 49 mbps and in France of 17 mbps.

The organization said that a multimedia file that takes four minutes to download in South Korea would take nearly an hour and a half to download in the U.S.

"This isn't about how fast someone can download a full-length movie," said Larry Cohen, president of the CWA.

"Speed matters to our economy and our ability to remain competitive in a global marketplace. Rural development, telemedicine and distance learning all rely on truly high-speed, universal networks."

The CWA launched Speed Matters in 2006 to encourage Congress to develop and pass an updated telecommunications policy.

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