Larger Municipal Networks Outperforming on Upload Speeds: Ookla

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2026 – A new report from Ookla found that some of the largest publicly owned broadband networks are holding their own against local competitors.

Among 14 of the largest publicly owned ISPs, Ookla found subscribers on eight of them experienced faster median upload speeds than on other providers in the area. One municipal provider, Oregon’s Sherwood Broadband, also posted faster download speeds than its competition.

Ookla analyzed subscriber speed test data from December 2024 through December 2025 from providers like UTOPIA Fiber in Utah and Connexion in Colorado. The better upload performance among municipal ISPs was partly because they’re mostly fiber, Ookla said, meaning there weren’t legacy copper or coaxial cable components in the network.

This post is for subscribers only

Become a member to get access to all content

Subscribe now