Internet speeds are increasing in the District, Maryland and Virginia, according to a newly released study.

Virginia rose to fourth place nationally with a median download speed of 5 mbps from 11th place in 2007, according to the Speed Matters survey. Maryland rose to eighth place with a median download speed of 4 mbps from 10th place in 2007.

The District rose in the test's rankings as well, from 39th place to 16th, with a median download speed of 2.8 mbps.

Debbie Goldman, Speed Matters coordinator for the Communication Workers of America, the union that released the study, attributed that rise almost exclusively to Internet connection improvements in Congress, which makes up most of the District's survey respondents.

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"The speed of your Internet connection really determines the possibilities of what you can do," Goldman said. "We're talking about more than downloading movies — we're talking health care, distance learning education, home businesses."

Technology advances rely on high-speed Internet, such as telemedicine wherein doctors can observe patients over streaming Internet video, or distance learning, in which professors and students interact over video feed.

Verizon has broadened its fiber-optic FiOS network in suburban Maryland and Virginia, which has spurred development, Goldman said.

"That's been creating competition, so the cable companies are coming in and upgrading their networks. That's the way this works," she said. The District recently announced a tentative deal to bring FiOS to the city.

Comcast upgraded its small and medium business customers' Internet in April.

Governmental initiatives in Maryland and Virginia, particularly Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine's Broadband Roundtable, which seeks to ensure broadband access to every business in Virginia, are also main factors in the states' advancement, Goldman said.

"The purpose for this [survey] is clearly to help the [Federal Communications Commission] think about adopting a national broadband policy because none currently exists today," said Doug Williams, an analyst for the technology research firm Jupiter Research.

Congress is considering a measure that would provide grants to states to deploy affordable broadband across the country.

"With that data they'll have a better understanding of how to address the issues of broadband deployment and implement policies that would potentially increase investment in order to enhance connection speeds."

The U.S. median download speed is 2.3 mbps, a rise from 2 mbps last year. However, the country lags other countries such as Japan, whose download speed is 63 mbps, South Korea, at 49 mbps, and Finland, at 21 mbps.

The report estimates that, at the current rate of development, it would take more than 100 years for the United States to catch up with Japan.