Download and upload speeds explained

For basic online activities like surfing the web and checking email, even ADSL’s 1.5Mbps is enough for a smooth internet experience. Upload speed becomes much more important if you want to use video chat, upload high-resolution images, or livestream videos.

If you use your home network for work, school, or streaming on a regular basis, ADSL’s low upload speeds are not efficient. At a minimum you’ll need upload speeds on the high end, between 25Mbps and 50Mbps.

For streaming videos download speeds of at least 5 Mbps are needed for high definition and 25 Mbps for 4K Ultra HD, according to Netflix. Zoom suggests 2-3 Mbps for participating in video calls and webinars.Online gammers typically want at least 20 Mbps for fast-paced games with immersive graphics like Overwatch or Fortnite.

Any interactive service, including online gaming and Zoom calls, will need good upload as well as download speed to avoid lag. Posting images or videos to social media also benefits from decent upload speed. Experts say that 5 or more Mbps upload speed is sufficient for most purposes. More bandwidth from high-speed internet will usually give you a smoother internet experience. 

For more information see:

https://www.highspeedinternet.com/resources/what-is-a-good-download-upload-speed

https://www.usnews.com/360-reviews/services/internet-providers/difference-between-download-upload-speeds

https://gospeedcheck.com/article/what-does-download-and-upload-speed-mean-64

Test your speed using the following websites:

https://www.speedtest.net/

https://fast.com/

https://speed..net/#/