Internet speed - or a lack
thereof - could influence the quality of experience you have with
everything from emailing and web browsing to online gaming and video
conferencing.
So, to help you figure out what
speed is right for you, you should first understand that connection
speeds are calibrated in megabits per second (Mb or Mbps), a number
referring to how many bits of data - in millions - can be moved in a
second.
The other factor for measuring
speeds is bandwidth, or the "size of the conduit in which the data is
traveling," says David Salway, director of the Broadband Program Office
for New York State.
Do you want to get up to speed on Internet speeds? Keep reading to find out how much Internet speed is right for you...
Download Speed: 1-4 Mbps
When you purchase Internet
service, you might be offered packages grouped by speeds in various
tiers. The 1-4 Mbps tier is at the lowest end of today's connection
speeds, thus accounting for a lower price range, according to Salway.
What can you expect at this
tier? "There will be buffering as videos catch up," Salway explains,
referring to delays in the streaming, or delivery, of media content. He
adds that "If you have a shared connection with three people using [the
Internet] at the same time, it's going to be a lower speed."
However, if only one person is
using the Internet connection, they should be able to enjoy most basic
applications without bothersome delays or buffering.
What You Can Do: Basic email, web browsing, music streaming, standard definition video (SD), remote surveillance, telecommuting*Download Speed: 4-6 Mbps
The Federal Communications
Commission considers 4 Mbps the minimum speed "generally required for
using today's video-rich broadband applications and services, while
retaining sufficient capacity for basic web browsing and e-mail."
Salway offers a similar opinion,
saying most users with 4-6 Mbps typically will have smooth sailing if
they are emailing or, in some cases, streaming music.
But online gaming applications,
which might require much higher speeds, could fail at this connection
tier, depending on the network traffic.
In fact, the FCC reports you
might be at the very minimum speed for two-way online gaming in high
definition or streaming HD-quality movies. So, if you're a movie buff or
gamer, your lifestyle might be better suited to higher internet speeds.
What You Can Do: File sharing (small/medium files), IPTV (Internet TV services)*
Download Speed: 6-10 Mbps
Salway describes this connection speed as a "good middle ground" for most subscribers at home, especially those who like to watch TV or movies on their home computer."Entertainment enthusiasts will want to get this as a minimum," Salway says. "I would say it's the most common that people use."
At around this speed, online
gamers should also be able to step up to their computers and vanquish
their enemies - without much interruption.
However, if different people are
using the same broadband connection at once - Dad watching TV, Mom
downloading Zumba videos, the kids sharing music files - you might not
be so lucky.
Salway offers a warning about
multiple users on this speed: "You still might have trouble with online
gaming, television viewing, or video on demand."
What You Can Do: Online gaming, video on demand (on a single device)*Download Speed: 10-15 Mbps
This speed tier is quickly becoming the new normal - sort of like going 65 mph on the highway.
The FCC's 2012 "Measuring
Broadband America Report" is also noticing this trend, noting that more
consumers "are subscribing to faster speed tiers and receiving faster
speeds than ever before."
And at this 10-15 Mbps tier, broadband subscribers will detect sharp increases in download performances, Salway notes.
"Web pages come up faster, and
you can receive and download files faster," says Salway. "You are going
to have to pay more for this, but you are going to notice the
difference."
What You Can Do: Telemedicine
(health care via telecommunication), remote Education (distance
education programming), IPTV High Definition (HD TV programming)*
Download Speed: 15-50 Mbps
Do you have a number of teens or young adults in the house? If so, this cat-quick speed might be for you.
"This will give you a good
experience without delays," Salway says. "You can do lots of movie
viewing on multiple computers or multiple devices and do things on
multiple applications."
For example, one person can also
play an online game in one room while other people watch movies or
share files using the same broadband connection.
High-tech "smart" homes,
according to Salway, might also be wired at this speed to accommodate
various Internet-based applications, such as those that monitor energy
usage.
What You Can Do: HD video surveillance*
Download Speeds: 50+ Mbps
Most users aren't currently
blazing along the Internet at this speed, but if the FCC gets its way,
these speeds will be coming to homes near you sooner rather than later.
Here's why: The FCC's "Measuring
Broadband America" report says the Commission has established a
"National Broadband Plan," which has a goal of at least 100 million
homes having affordable access to download speeds of at least 50 Mbps by
2015, and 100 Mbps by 2020.
What gives for these goals? The
FCC's belief is that top-speed broadband networks across the country
will make all of us highly interactive on the economic, educational, and
civic levels.
Salway agrees with this sentiment, saying that "The more speed and bandwidth you have, the more you can do at the same time."
So, what requires connection
speeds in this range? Commercial applications, including video
conferencing and remote supercomputing, just to name a few.
What You Can Do: Video conferencing (multiple users), remote supercomputing, real-time data collection, real-time medical image consultation*
*All
Information about applications and minimum broadband technologies in
relation to broadband speeds comes from David Salway, director of the
Broadband Program Office for New York State.
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