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Tech in Vancouver: A Timeline Infographic

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Part 1: The History of Tech in VancouverPart 2: Is Vancouver a Legitimate Tech Hub?Part 3: Future of Tech in Vancouver - Coming Aug 2014

Tech in Vancouver: History and Timeline

Part 1: The History of Tech in VancouverPart 2: Is Vancouver a Legitimate Tech Hub?Part 3: Future of Tech in Vancouver - Coming Aug 2014

Tech in Vancouver: History and Timeline

Recently, we asked ourselves the question: is Vancouver really a global tech hub or is that just the local spin?

In researching this, we came across an amazing wealth of information on the Vancouver tech scene and decided to turn it into a three part infographic series that covers the past, present, and future of tech in Vancouver.

To kick things off, we dug deep into Vancouver’s past to see how the industry emerged. It turns out that the birth of tech in The Rainy City stems from two main companies: MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates and MPR Teltech. This Cantech Letter article does a great job documenting how they came on the scene and what the people behind these companies accomplished.

Over the last 40 years, Vancouver has had great homegrown stories in green energy (Ballard Power), video games (Distinctive Software), enterprise services (Crystal Decisions), space tech (MDA), social media collaboration (Hootsuite), quantum computing (D-Wave), and many other cutting edge areas. Because of that success, Vancouver was able to eventually attract the big boys to set up shop.

Now that we’ve established a timeline of Vancouver’s tech history, it is time to look at the present picture. That will be Part Two of the series, coming soon.

To keep posted on the next two parts of the series, subscribe to our e-mail publication or connect with us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+. If you’re feeling particularly generous, you can also tip us with bitcoin: 1HBy6xYNyexLDndowzs1mxMbviuWo9bxRv

Note: All job titles and names used in this graphic are for illustrative purposes and are not meant to correspond to actual people. We wanted to give an idea of what jobs during each era might be like, but without invading anyone’s privacy. Therefore, we used fictional names/titles.

Special thanks to the people who helped us build this infographic: The Visual Capitalist team and also Connie Chen who volunteered time to help us put together facts.

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Mapped: Internet Download Speeds by Region

North America and East Asia have the speediest internet.

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Map illustrating median download speeds in each global region.

Mapped: Internet Download Speeds by Region

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

In today’s fast-paced world, internet speed isn’t just a convenience—it’s the driving force behind how we work, play, and connect.

In this map, we illustrate median download speeds in each global region, based on data from the World Bank’s Digital Progress and Trends Report 2023.

North America and East Asia Have the Speediest Internet

According to the World Bank, download speeds in high-income countries increased significantly between 2019 and 2023, while speeds in lower-income countries stagnated.

As of 2022, North America and East Asia have the speediest internet.

RegionMedian mobile download speed (Mb/sec)Median fixed broadband download speed (Mb/sec)
East Asia & Pacific90171
Europe & Central Asia4485
Latin America & the Caribbean2674
Middle East & North Africa3636
North America83193
South Asia2743
Sub-Saharan Africa1615

This difference in broadband speeds can mainly be attributed to investment.

In 2020, nearly 90% of global telecommunication investment came from East Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Central Asia, and North America. These regions not only concentrate the highest-income population but also the top technology hubs.

Meanwhile, low- and middle-income regions such as Latin America and the Caribbean, South Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for less than 10% of total investment.

Most of the investment is directed towards fiber optic and 5G mobile networks. According to the mobile industry association GSMA, mobile operators alone are projected to invest more than $600 billion between 2022 and 2025, with 85% of the total allocated for 5G.

In 2023, broadband speeds in high-income countries were 10x faster for fixed connections, and 5x faster for mobile connections compared to those in low-income countries.

Fixed broadband connections, which provide high-speed internet to residences or businesses, reached 38% of the population in high-income countries. In comparison, fixed broadband penetration was only 4% of the population in lower-middle-income countries and almost zero in low-income countries.

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