As Buffalo's internet speeds rank among slowest in US, consumers can't do much

City politicians and technology leaders pitch Buffalo (NY) as a nascent tech hub, envisioning a rosy future where every child owns a laptop and geeks flock downtown with their edgy startups. But the city may face a major obstacle before this grand vision even gets off the ground: Its internet speeds rank among the country’s slowest, according to two separate analyses by The Buffalo News and the technology firm Ookla. Ookla’s Dec internet-speed report ranked Buffalo’s speeds fifth-last, ahead of only Cleveland (OH), Toledo (OH), Memphis (TN), and Laredo (TX). More than a mere annoyance to frustrated browsers, the region’s lagging digital grid could hamper efforts to lure new businesses here and modernize other infrastructure, advocates say. And slow speeds – coupled with pricing schemes that make even mediocre service expensive – could risk exacerbating the city's "digital divide," which already disadvantages low-income families.