How fast is fast internet

How to use a Google speed test to check how fast your internet speed is

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If you’re looking to change your internet provider, or are considering increasing your internet speed, it’s a good idea to know where your internet speed currently stands. This will help you better understand what you want and need from a new internet plan.

Google offers a simple and fast tool for doing this, and you can easily access it by initiating a Google search. This Google speed test measures your internet speed in megabits per second, or Mbps. The test determines your internet speed by measuring the amount of data that can move through your connection.

Here’s what you need to know to take Google’s internet speed test, how to determine whether your internet is fast, and tips for improving speed.

How to use Google’s internet speed test

What is a good internet speed?

The FCC’s standard for a fast internet connection is at least 25 Mbps for downloads, and 3 Mbps for uploads.

Internet download speeds that exceed 25 Mbps are considered fast and can range anywhere from 100 Mbps to 2,000 Mbps. To be considered a fast internet connection for four or more simultaneous users and devices, you’ll certainly want more than 25 Mbps.

Internet upload speeds tend to be lower, and back in 2015, the FCC recommended that you have at least 3 Mbps, but many consider 5 Mbps to be fast, with available speeds going up to 50 Mbps.

Quick tip: Keep in mind that your internet speed is constantly changing, depending on how close you are to your router, how many devices are on the network, and how much data you’re currently using. So taking the test while you’re alone in your house will give you higher results than taking the test while five people stream Netflix.

How to make your internet speed faster

If you find your internet speeds lagging, but don’t want to jump into the market for a new internet plan or new equipment, there are a couple of things you can do to help boost your internet speed:

What is a good internet speed? It depends on your needs

May 4, 2022 — 7 min read

The FCC defines ‘broadband internet’ as 25 Mbps download speed and 3 Mbps upload speed, but what is considered a good internet speed is different for everyone.

Next to price, internet speed is one of the main decision drivers when shopping for internet plans or evaluating your current internet service. But, unlike price – where you can easily look at the monthly cost and say “that fits my budget” or “that’s a new car payment” – internet speeds can be a bit trickier to gauge.

Is 100 Mbps “fast” internet? Is 10 Mbps “slow”? What internet speeds do I get? These are all questions many of us ask, so we’ve created this simple guide to explain them.

Let’s look at how internet speed is measured, what is considered fast internet, what may be slow internet and other factors to help you answer the question: What is a good internet speed?

On this page:

What is a good internet speed?

According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), a good internet speed is at or above 25 Mbps. These speeds will support most online activity, such as HD streaming, online gaming, web browsing and downloading music. That said, these standards were created back in 2015, and the COVID-19 pandemic proved these speeds inadequate for houses that were working or learning from home.

In reality, a good internet speed these days is much higher than 25 Mbps, and many Congressmen are now pushing for a 100 Mbps minimum to be considered broadband. According to Ookla, the average home internet speed in the U.S. is around 152 Mbps download and 21 Mbps upload — well above the 25/3 minimum set by the FCC.

These speeds have improved dramatically in recent years, too. Just one year ago, average download speeds were 118 Mbps in the U.S.

Think of “broadband” as the national internet speed limit

Per the FCC, a broadband internet connection has a minimum download speed of 25 Mbps and a minimum upload speed of 3 Mbps. This gives us a baseline for determining fast and slow internet speeds.

Speeds much faster than a standard broadband connection are generally considered “fast” internet. While all speeds below that threshold aren’t necessarily slow, they are too slow to be considered broadband internet.

Keep in mind there are many things that can affect actual internet speeds and performance. Adding connected devices and using the internet for demanding tasks such as streaming in 4K or downloading an HD movie can hinder performance and make even “fast” speeds seem slow.

Our recommendation for internet speeds

Choosing the right internet speed for your home can be a tricky process. When you add up how much speed each activity uses — 5 Mbps for HD Netflix, 2 Mbps for Zoom, 8 Mbps for online gaming — it looks like you can get by with a minimum plan. However, there are a few other factors you’ll want to consider.

How internet speed is measured

Internet speed is determined by how much data the connection can download (download speeds) or upload (upload speeds) per second.

Speeds that fall into the kbps range are generally what we’d call “slow” internet and Gbps speeds, which are becoming more common, are in the ultra-fast range. When researching internet speeds, you’ll likely see Mbps more than kbps or Gbps. That’s because Mbps speeds are better suited to what we use the internet for.

What is considered fast internet?

Internet download speeds of 200 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload or higher are considered fast. With average speeds around 152/21 Mbps, the bar for fast internet is higher than ever. Anything over 200 Mbps will be able to handle multiple online activities for multiple users at once without interruption. If you need a little help determining the best internet speeds for your needs, we’ve got you covered.

Common fast internet speed tiers include:

Cable internet and fiber optic internet are your best bets for fast internet speeds. Fiber is also a great choice for speed consistency, as it is less vulnerable than cable to slower speeds during peak usage times.

Popular cable or fiber optic internet providers include AT&T, CenturyLink, Cox, Frontier FiberOptic, Optimum, Spectrum, Suddenlink, Verizon Fios, Xfinity and Windstream. All of these providers offer speeds up to 940-1,000 Mbps in select areas, with several providers rolling out speeds up to 2,000 Mbps in 2022.

What are fast internet upload speeds?

Upload speeds of 10 Mbps or higher are generally considered fast internet speeds for upload because they can easily handle the common activities of the average user. For example, Skype recommends upload speeds of 1.2 Mbps or higher for HD video calling. Uploading a large file, like 700MB file document, should take less than 10 minutes with a 10 Mbps upload connection.

What is considered slow internet?

Download speeds less than 25 Mbps are too slow to be considered broadband or good home Wi-Fi. With these speeds, users may experience buffering when streaming video, difficulty connecting multiple devices and other internet connectivity issues.

The FCC does recommend speeds less than 25 Mbps for many online activities, including streaming SD and HD video, gaming online and downloading music. However, these are minimum speed recommendations and do not account for connecting multiple devices or other factors that may slow your internet speeds.

What types of internet connections are more likely to be slower?

Some internet technology will always be on the slow side. If you’re considering one of the following connection types, expect slower speeds than cable or fiber.

Take a speed test to see if your internet is fast enough for your needs

An internet speed test will give you a good idea of whether or not you have the necessary speeds for your household. For best results, take the speed test with a wired connection. If you get speeds below 25 Mbps, you may have a slow internet connection that can’t keep up with all your online activity.

Your speed test results:

Download speeds transfer data to your home and are usually shown first when shopping for internet. Download speeds matter most for activities like streaming, shopping, and browsing social media.

Upload speeds transfer data from your home. Upload speeds matter for activities like video conferencing, uploading large files, working on online documents and live gaming.

Need more for the price?

Try these helpful hacks to improve your internet speed. Or if you just want more bang for your buck, check out providers near you with more speed for the price. Either way, we’ll help you find what you need.

Rather chat? Give us a call: (844) 451-2720

Pro Tip: For best results, use an Ethernet cord to connect your router or modem directly to your device before you run the test.

If you have slow internet, there may be other internet providers in your area that offer faster speeds. Or, your current internet provider may offer plans with higher speeds. Shop around to find a faster internet speed if your current provider and plan doesn’t offer the speeds you need.

How much of a difference does a good internet speed make?

Small speed increments, such as 15 to 25 Mbps, likely won’t result in a noticeable difference in performance, but larger jumps, say 10 to 100 Mbps, can give you a totally different experience.

To give you an idea of how much speed can play a role in downloading and uploading, we’ve listed the estimated time it would take to download a two-hour HD movie and upload a 10-minute video with various speeds below.

How long does it take to download a movie?

File sizes for things like music, movies and pictures vary, but a movie can range from 1 to 7GBs depending on the length and picture quality. Here’s how long it would take in hours:minutes:seconds to download a 4GB file at various speeds.

How long does it take to upload a short video?

Video files vary in size, but let’s say you have a 500 MB clip, which could amount to 10 minutes or more in standard definition. Here’s an estimate of how long it would take to upload it with various upload speeds.

Keep in mind, upload speeds from internet providers are often significantly lower than download speeds. Some fiber-optic providers, however, do offer upload speeds comparable to their advertised download speeds.

These download and upload times are estimates, based on a constant speed. As mentioned above, there are many factors, such as the number of connected devices and types of internet activities performed, that can affect internet speeds and the time it takes to perform a given task.

Shop internet providers, plans and speeds in your area with our internet experts. We’ll help you find and compare plans with good internet speeds for your home and unique needs.

Senior Writer, Broadband Content

How Fast is My Internet? Kbps vs Mbps? Internet Speeds Explained

Learn what factors affect your Internet speed, the difference between Mbps vs Kbps, and use our speed test to find out your speeds.

How Fast is My Internet?

If you are asking yourself, “how fast is my Internet,” «internet speeds explained,» or “what are my Internet speeds,” look no further. You can determine the approximate speed of your Internet connection by taking the Speed Test from Xfinity which will generate a report on your Internet download speed and upload speed.

What is Internet Speed and How is Internet Speed Measured?

Internet speed refers to the speed which data or content travels from the World Wide Web to your home computer, tablet, or smartphone. The speed of this data is measured in megabits per second (Mbps). One megabit is equal to 1,024 kilobits. This conversion means 1.0 Mbps is more than 1,000 times faster than 1.0 kilobits per second (Kbps). High-speed Internet connection known as broadband (broad bandwidth) is defined by download speeds of at least 768 Kbps and upload speeds of at least 200 Kbps. The difference between download speeds and upload speeds can be explained in the following way: download speed refers to the rate that digital data is transferred from the Internet to your computer, while upload speed is the rate that online data is transferred from your computer to the Internet.

Broadband Internet can be provided by cable operators, telephone companies, or high-speed Internet service providers. Broadband Internet is one of the fastest Internet options available across the nation today. This specific type of high-speed Internet connection uses multiple data channels to send large quantities of information to and from Internet users.

What Factors Affect Internet Speeds?

There are a number of factors that can affect Internet speeds or your connection to the Internet. The type of Internet connection you are currently using may play a role in Internet speeds. Examples of Internet connections include 3G wireless or 4G wireless, mobile, hotspots, modem or dial-up, broadband, DSL (digital subscriber line), cable, satellite, ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network), and more.

Sometimes, the capabilities of a website or an Internet network can affect connection speed by capping off the limit that Internet users can download, upload, or stream data. Highly-trafficked websites can cause your Internet connection to run more slowly when visiting that specific domain. If a third party network has these types of Internet speed limitations in place, you may not be able to download or upload content at top-performing Internet speeds when visiting that particular website.

Additionally, your home computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone will need to meet the minimum system requirements advised by a high-speed Internet service provider. Internet speeds may vary based on the configuration and performance of computers, hardware, software, applications and other equipment systems. Running multiple devices off the same home network will increase the demand of your home’s Internet system and may affect download speed, upload speed, and overall Internet speeds or Internet connection.

What is a Good Internet Speed?

Before determining the best Internet speeds and Internet Service Provider (ISP) for you, ask yourself the following questions:

No matter what the activities of your household may be, it is recommended that you pursue an Internet plan or service that can successfully meet your unique bandwidth needs. Certain household and handheld devices or mobile applications may require high-speed Internet to perform best. Perhaps you want consistently fast broadband speed (like gig-speed Internet), even during peak hours of Internet usage. Take all of these factors and your own bandwidth needs into consideration when selecting an Internet service plan.

Get the Internet speed you need with a better understanding of how Internet speed is measured. Once you have learned more about how Internet speeds are measured and what factors are involved, you will soon be ready to find a high-speed Internet plan that’s right for you and the diverse needs of your digitally-connected household, such as Internet speeds for gaming, streaming, and more.

Xfinity is proud to support the Federal Government’s Affordable Connectivity Program, a temporary subsidy program available for all tiers of Xfinity Internet service, including Internet Essentials. Learn more about the ACP Program to see if you qualify.

How much internet speed do I need?

We’ll give you a personalized internet speed recommendation based on how you use the internet.

Residential Start

How many people in your household use the internet/WiFi on a daily basis?

How many devices in your home connect to the internet, including tablets, gaming consoles, and smart devices?

How many people in your household work from home?

What video quality do you use for streaming TV and movies?

How intensely does your household participate in online gaming?

Does your household download large files from the cloud or via the internet?

Our minimum speed recommendation for you:

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What is a good internet speed?

A good download speed is at least 100 Mbps, and a good upload speed is at least 10 Mbps. With 100 Mbps, you can watch Netflix or YouTube, attend Zoom meetings, and play most online games on several devices at the same time.

Some people can get away with fewer Mbps, and others need more. If 100 Mbps doesn’t seem like a good fit for you, use the tool above to get a personalized recommendation. Or you can calculate the internet speed you need using the steps below.

To start things off, here’s a breakdown of common download speed ranges in Mbps and what they’re good for.

What is fast internet?

Fast internet is a connection with speeds of 100 Mbps and up.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) defines broadband or high-speed internet as 25 Mbps for download and 3 Mbps for upload speed. Although that’s enough speed for basic internet use, it’s actually a bit slow by today’s standards, since many providers offer 100 Mbps speeds as basic-level plans. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has advocated for raising the baseline definition of broadband to be 100 Mbps.

On the high end, residential internet speeds can reach up to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) of download speed, or 1,000 Mbps. A couple providers even offer 2 Gbps in some areas, while AT&T offers 5 Gbps.

Is gigabit internet worth it?

Gigabit internet is worth it if you use a large amount of bandwidth on a regular basis. It’s also worth it if you share your Wi-Fi with a bunch of roommates or family members. But it’s expensive and faster than most people need, so it’s not worth it for the average user.

It’s not necessary if you spend most of your online time doing things like checking email, streaming video in HD, and making occasional Zoom calls, since those activities require much less bandwidth. But other activities take up more bandwidth and thus require much faster speeds.

Activities that benefit from gigabit internet:

Do you need a 2,000 Mbps internet plan?

There’s no reason to have an internet plan in the range of 2,000 Mbps or faster right now.

Having internet that fast is like owning a lifted 4WD work truck—you likely won’t have any opportunity to use all that power unless you’re involved in some industrial-grade internet activity, like mining cryptocurrency with dozens of computers all on the same Wi-Fi.

What is a fast upload speed?

A fast internet upload speed is at least 10 Mbps. But some internet plans give you much faster uploads, even gigabit speeds.

Uploads involve loading data onto the internet. People spend the majority of their time downloading data from the internet, not uploading it, so traditionally uploads have been set at much lower speeds. In many cases an internet provider’s download speeds will be up to 15 times faster than the uploads.

However, fiber internet providers usually deliver symmetrical speeds, giving you uploads that are just as fast as downloads—with uploads hitting 1,000 Mbps or higher on the highest-tier plans.

Test and track your internet speed on your phone

Download our free, easy-to-use speed test app for quick and reliable results.

How to calculate the internet speed you need

Your internet speed requirements depend on two main things:

How do you use the internet?

Different online activities use different amounts of bandwidth. Streaming The Mandalorian in 4K requires more download speed than watching it in standard definition. And online gaming takes more speed than checking your email.

Internet bandwidth vs. speed

Internet speed and bandwidth are often used interchangeably, but they’re not exactly the same thing.

If the internet is a road and data are the cars, speed is how fast the cars travel, and bandwidth is the number of open lanes.

So, say you have 100 data cars all going the same speed—you’ll get your data faster if those cars are traveling on a five-lane highway compared to a one-lane back road.

How many Mbps you need per device for common internet activities

How many people use your internet connection?

You want fast internet to cover the total number of people and devices that connect to your Wi-Fi. If you live with a roommate, for example, you need enough speed to support each of your own laptops, smartphones, and gaming consoles. You also want bandwidth to support devices that are connected in the background, like smart home tech.

A good target to aim for is 25 Mbps for each person in your household. So if you live with three people, then 100 Mbps is perfect for your home Wi-Fi.

Find the speed you need in your area.

Pro tip:

Internet speeds are usually marketed as “speeds up to” a certain number. That means the speed listed on your plan is the top speed you’ll likely see, not the average. With that in mind, it’s not a bad idea to sign up for a little more bandwidth than you think you’ll need if it’s available and you can afford it. If you have a speed buffer, network slowdowns are less likely to paralyze your Wi-Fi when your ISP’s network gets sluggish.

Upload speed vs. download speed

When internet providers advertise internet speeds, they most often refer to download speeds, or what you use to receive data from the internet. Our speed recommendations are given in download speed as well.

Both upload and download speed are important, but most people use more download bandwidth than upload bandwidth. Internet providers generally give customers much less upload speed than download speed—usually 1 Mbps of upload bandwidth for every 10 Mbps of download bandwidth.

But you want faster upload speeds if you do things that require a lot of upload bandwidth. To get faster uploads, sign up for a faster internet plan or get fiber internet, which gives you symmetrical upload and download speeds.

Activities that use upload speeds:

Latency

Latency is the amount of time it takes for a piece of information (called a ping) to travel from your computer to the network server and back. In practical terms, latency is how long it takes from when you click a thing to when you see the results of that click. It is measured in milliseconds, and lower latency is better. High latency causes things like lag in video games.

Should you switch internet plans if you have slow speeds?

You shouldn’t switch internet plans just for having slow speeds. But you should consider switching plans if you haven’t been able to improve your speeds in any other way.

If you’re experiencing slow speeds, make sure you’re getting close to the speeds you’re paying for as part of your monthly internet package. If that’s the case, you may just want to upgrade to a better plan if your speeds are too slow.

Shop around, though, if you’re experiencing repeated problems with your internet connection. Most people in the US have access to at least two internet providers in their area—and you may be able to find a faster plan from a different provider than what you have now.

What is a Good Internet Speed?

Simply put, internet speeds in the 100–200 Mbps range are ideal for most households since they can handle common activities like streaming and video chat for two to five users at once. However, several factors should also be considered — especially for home offices and gaming where upload capacity for files and reaction times are particularly important.

Along with upload speeds, latency, and your location, another factor to consider is your Wi-Fi network. The average Wi-Fi speed you experience around your home will generally be anywhere from 20–50 percent below the advertised download speed due to wireless interference and fade as you move further from the router. With that said, it’s important to choose a speed slightly faster than what you need to account for network slowdowns.

While each household will have their own definition of what a good internet speed is based on their needs, here are a few simple guidelines on different speeds and what they can handle:

To get a quick recommendation based on the number of users and devices in your home, take a look at our bandwidth calculation tool. If you already have Wi-Fi and are having slower-than-normal speeds, try troubleshooting your Wi-Fi, or consider learning how to extend your Wi-Fi network.

In this article, we help you determine how much internet speed you need based on how many internet users are in your home and how they use the internet.

How Much Internet Speed Do I Need?

Here are some general download speed requirements based on everyday online activities:

What Is a Good Internet Speed?

Any internet connection above 25 Mbps is a good internet speed. The FCC currently defines a “broadband” internet connection as one that provides at least 25 Mbps for download speed and 3 Mbps for upload. This is a decent benchmark for the average family of three; however, larger households of three to five people should consider speeds closer to the 100–200 Mbps range.

In order to be a “good” internet speed, the connection has to meet the needs of the household, which will vary based on number of devices connected and how many people use the connection at once.

The experience using an internet connection depends on several factors:

As you can see, good internet speed can mean something different for every household. For instance, if you’re using your home Wi-Fi for only web browsing and email, you might feel that you have fast internet with only 10 Mbps.

On the other hand, someone who streams 4K video on multiple devices, plays video games online, and has smart home IoT devices, may not be satisfied with even 100 Mbps. They should look at fiber options like those offered by AT&T Fiber internet or Frontier Communications FiberOptic which offers higher uploads speeds than other common connections like cable and DSL.

It’s worth mentioning that the range of performance you can get is somewhat relative to your location. Rural areas in states like California and even New York often have much lower speeds (around 25 Mbps) and fewer options, when compared to urban centers within the state which typically have 100+ Mbps plans available, such as Los Angeles, San Diego, or Brooklyn.

What Is a Fast Internet Speed?

By most definitions, anything above 100 Mbps is considered “fast.” Once you start getting close to 1 Gbps (1,000 Mbps), the internet plan is called a “gigabit” service.

If you’re wondering why anyone would ever need a 1 Gbps or higher download or upload speed, the answer is pretty simple: most of us don’t (though that may change in the future). That said, these sorts of speeds may be worth it for techies, gamers, streamers, and large households.

What Is the Difference Between Upload and Download Speed?

If you don’t know the difference between upload and download speeds, here is a simple breakdown:

When you see the advertised speed of an internet plan, what you usually see is the download speed. The upload speed isn’t visible at first, or it appears in a much smaller size at the bottom.

Download speed is much more important for the average user since you only notice upload speed when trying to share large files. It’s normal for your upload speed to be around one tenth your download speed. However, fiber internet users often have symmetrical (or identical) download and upload speeds.

How Fast is 25 Mbps?

A 25 Mbps plan can be referred to as the “Goldilocks” of internet plans. It’s neither too fast nor too slow. For a small household of light internet users, you won’t suffer from frustrating lag or pay for bandwidth that you don’t need.

Here are some things you can expect from 25 Mbps:

So, is 25 Mbps fast?

For a small household that isn’t doing intense streaming on multiple devices or gaming at high-resolution, 25 Mbps is relatively fast. For larger households or for internet users that need 4K resolution, 25 Mbps may still not be enough. The biggest factor here will be the number of devices being used at a time. Almost any household can get away with 25 Mbps as long as the number of users/devices online at a time is limited. For example, three to four people can stream in HD with a 25 Mbps connection, but anyone else trying to get online will likely experience a slow connection.

Best Internet Speeds for Streaming

Basic streaming doesn’t require very much bandwidth. However, when you start to stream in 4K resolution or stream on many devices at once, you will need a much larger internet package.

How Much Internet Speed Do I Need for Netflix?

In general, streaming videos on platforms such as Netflix or YouTube TV requires 3-5 Mbps to stream in HD.

If you want to stream in 4K Ultra HD, you will need a minimum of 25 Mbps. However, streaming even one video in 4K HD may use up all of your available bandwidth. For that reason, if you like HD video and you have more than one device connected at a time, we recommend a speed of 50 Mbps or more.

For instance, say you have a 25 Mbps down connection speed. If the total capacity of your internet connection was a pie, each device on the network gets a “slice.”

Your total potential speed is split across all of the devices connected to the network. So, a 25 Mbps plan may only be providing 10-15 Mbps on Netflix — depending on how many devices are taking a “slice.”

Also, using Wi-Fi will always be slower than a hardwired connection. Trying to stream over Wi-Fi can produce less-than-stellar results.

Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to ensure that you’re maximizing your chances of a trouble-free streaming experience:

Use our bandwidth calculator to get an estimate of the speed you actually need to stream on multiple devices at home.

Best Internet Speed for Gaming

Online gaming is one of the few activities that require a fast upload speed. This is because the actions that you perform in-game are uploaded to a server for other players to view and interact with.

How Much Internet Speed Do I Need for Gaming?

Minimum internet speed requirements for gaming are usually 4-8 Mbps if nobody else in the house is using up your bandwidth. Unfortunately, slower internet plans such as these may not give you the upload speed you need for a consistently good experience.

If you’re the only one at home, a 25 Mbps internet plan is recommended for smooth gaming. However, speed isn’t the only thing that matters in gaming: ping and latency play a role as well.

Ping and Latency: Does It Matter?

Latency is a measurement of the amount of time it takes for data to be transmitted from one point to another. Ping is often used interchangeably to describe this, but in fact, a “ping” is simply the act of hailing a certain receiver. Under this definition, latency is a measurement of how quickly you can “ping” the server you are trying to reach.

So, is latency a real concern when deciding which service provider to choose from?

Honestly, the majority of users will likely not be impacted by latency. Latency is more of an issue for satellite internet users as it takes longer for data to travel and is more susceptible to interference than wired internet connections (i.e. cable, DSL, and fiber). Competitive gamers serious about getting the best connection will definitely want to look into minimizing this number by either upgrading to a cable or fiber internet connection or connecting their gaming device directly to their modem/router.

Mbps vs Gbps: What’s the Difference?

Internet speeds are measured in “Megabits per second,” often abbreviated as “Mbps.” These commonly range anywhere from 1 Mbps up to 1,000 Mbps.

An average MP3 song in your iTunes ranges from three to five megabytes, whereas a 4K movie or tv show can be several gigabytes, so it’s important to gauge the types of speeds you’ll need accordingly.

Bits vs Bytes

The amount of data you use is measured in “bytes,” while the speed you can move data is measured in “bits.” For example:

“The average cable internet plan has a download speed of 150 Megabits per second (Mbps), and a data cap of 1,024 GigaBytes (GB).”

MB vs GB: What’s the Difference?

This is confusing for non-techies, but to put it simply:

You will likely see the term GB used in conjunction with data caps, which some providers use to limit the amount of data you can consume. These can either be hard capped (service is not available after exceeding the stated amount) or soft-capped, meaning you will simply experience slower speeds — and potentially, additional charges.

Why Does Internet Speed Vary Per Location?

You may notice a certain company offering fast speeds in the subdivision adjacent yours — only to search your internet options and find they can’t provide the same speed for your street. This can be frustrating.

Regardless of which type of service you’re interested in, your physical connection has to go somewhere central before it can move on to the wider network that forms the backbone of the internet. For DSL and cable, this central location is the provider’s office or joining node, and for fiber, a central switch.

No matter the specifics, the physical distance between your home and these meeting points can have an impact on the speed of service a particular company is able to offer. Remember, though — just because one provider can only offer a certain speed, that doesn’t necessarily mean all of them are limited in the same way.

If you live in an area where there are several services to choose from, check the speeds offered by other ISPs in your area before setting an install date.

How Can I Calculate My Upload and Download Speed?

Use our speed test tool to check your upload, download, and other key internet performance metrics.

If you already have existing service but aren’t sure how fast it actually is, you can find out using our speed test tool.

Essentially, this service works by sending test samples of data to various remote servers, the same way you would when browsing the web.

We then display the average upload and download speeds of those individual pieces of data, allowing you to get a good idea of what you’re working with.

The Bottom Line: 25 Mbps Is the Minimum Speed for Modern Households

So how much speed do you need? If you don’t have time to dig into the details, just make sure you get a plan with at least 25 Mbps download speed. For most people, this is “good enough.”

For more detailed recommendations based on your specific household size and number of devices, visit our internet speed calculator.