When comparing internet plans, download speed usually receives most of the attention. But upload speed can be just as important, particularly if you work from home, join video calls, use cloud storage or regularly share large files.
Understanding the difference between download and upload speeds can help you choose an internet plan that better suits how your household or business actually uses the internet.
What is download speed?
Download speed measures how quickly information travels from the internet to your device.
Most of the activities we perform online involve downloading data, even when we aren’t saving a file. Every time you open a website, stream a movie or scroll through social media, information is being delivered to your device.
Activities that rely heavily on download speed include:
- Streaming movies, television and music
- Browsing websites and social media
- Downloading applications and large files
- Receiving emails and attachments
- Online gaming downloads and updates
- Joining video calls and viewing other participants
- Loading cloud-based applications
A faster download speed generally allows online content to load more quickly and can help provide a smoother experience when several people are using the connection simultaneously.
What is upload speed?
Upload speed measures how quickly information travels from your device to the internet.
It becomes important whenever you send, share or publish something online. While many everyday activities use relatively little upload capacity, others can place significant demand on your connection.
Activities that rely on upload speed include:
- Sending emails with large attachments
- Uploading photographs and videos
- Backing up files to cloud storage
- Sharing large business documents
- Broadcasting your video and audio during online meetings
- Livestreaming
- Uploading content to websites or social media
- Sending data from connected security cameras
If your upload speed is too low, files may take longer to send, cloud backups can become slow and your video may appear blurry or unstable during online meetings—even if you can see everyone else clearly.
Why are download and upload speeds often different?
Many internet plans provide a higher download speed than upload speed. This is because the average household traditionally consumes far more information than it sends.
For example, watching a streaming service involves downloading a continuous flow of video data, while only a small amount of information is uploaded to communicate your selections and playback controls.
However, internet usage has changed. More Australians now work from home, store information in the cloud, join video meetings and create or share digital content. This means upload performance has become increasingly important when selecting a plan.
What do Mbps and MB mean?
Internet speeds are generally measured in megabits per second, written as Mbps. This indicates how much data a connection can transfer each second.
File sizes, on the other hand, are commonly measured in megabytes, written as MB. One byte contains eight bits, so Mbps and MB per second are not the same measurement.
As a simple example, a 100 Mbps connection does not mean a 100 MB file will download in one second. Under ideal conditions, its maximum theoretical transfer rate would be approximately 12.5 MB per second.
Actual transfer times may be slower due to Wi-Fi conditions, network demand, equipment and the performance of the website or service you are accessing.
How speed affects common online activities
Different activities place different demands on your connection.
Streaming
Streaming movies and television primarily depends on download speed. Higher-resolution content, such as 4K video, requires more capacity than standard or high-definition content.
If several people stream on different devices at the same time, the required download capacity increases.
Video calls
Video calls use both download and upload speed. Your connection downloads the video and audio from other participants while uploading your own camera and microphone feed.
Poor upload performance may cause your image to freeze or become unclear for other participants, even when they appear perfectly clear to you.
Online gaming
Online gaming does not always require the highest download speed, but it does benefit from a responsive and stable connection. Latency—the time it takes for information to travel between your device and the game server—can be just as important as speed.
Large game installations and updates, however, rely heavily on download speed.
Cloud storage and backups
Downloading files from cloud storage relies on download speed, while saving or backing them up to the cloud relies on upload speed.
Businesses, content creators and households with large photo or video libraries may notice the impact of limited upload capacity more than other users.
Working from home
Remote work can involve video meetings, VPN access, cloud applications and large file transfers. These activities may use both sides of the connection throughout the day.
If several people are working or studying from home simultaneously, the overall demand can increase considerably.
How many people and devices use your connection?
Your internet speed is shared across all active devices in your home or workplace.
A single person browsing the web may require relatively little capacity. However, a household with one person on a video call, another streaming in 4K and someone else downloading a large game update will place far greater demand on the connection.
Smart televisions, tablets, security cameras, gaming consoles, speakers and other connected devices can also use the internet in the background.
When choosing a plan, consider both the activities you perform and how many people are likely to be online at the same time.
How to test your internet speed
An online speed test can help you understand the download and upload speeds reaching your device. For a more accurate result:
- Connect a computer directly to the router using an Ethernet cable where possible
- Pause large downloads, streaming and cloud backups
- Close unnecessary applications and browser tabs
- Make sure other people are not heavily using the connection
- Run several tests at different times of the day
- Compare a wired test with a Wi-Fi test
A wired result can help measure the performance reaching your router, while a Wi-Fi test reflects the experience in a particular part of your home.
If the wired result is strong but the Wi-Fi result is poor, router placement, interference or coverage may be contributing to the problem.
What speed is right for you?
There is no single internet speed that suits everyone. The right plan depends on:
- The number of people using the connection
- How many devices are regularly connected
- Whether you stream high-definition or 4K content
- How often you work or study from home
- Whether you regularly upload or download large files
- Your use of cloud storage and backups
- Your gaming and video-calling requirements
Looking beyond the headline download speed—and considering upload performance as well—can help you select a connection that better supports the way you use the internet every day.
Future Broadband offers a range of competitively priced internet plans for Australian homes and businesses, backed by Australian-based support.
Explore the Future Broadband available plans and find the right connection for your needs.
