Until the Coronavirus pandemic, much of the focus on internet speed revolved around download speed. When virtual meetings took the world by storm in 2020, the importance of upload speeds was made clear as video calls require constant uploads of data. But what is the difference between upload and download speeds, and why do they matter?
What is the difference between download and upload speeds? Download speed refers to the speed your internet connection is able to “pull down,” or retrieve data from the internet to your computer or mobile device. Upload speed refers to the speed your internet connection allows data to be sent from your computer or mobile device to the internet—like in the case of video calls.
Many providers’ internet packages offer differing download and upload speeds. You may have seen something like this advertised on an internet provider’s website: 100/10 Mbps. In that example, 100 represents the download speed and 10 represents the upload speed. In most cases, internet providers offer faster download speeds than upload speeds. Mbps (Megabits per second) represents how much data can be transferred per second. So, the higher the internet package you purchase, the more data you can push through per second.
What are some common download activities?
- Listening to music on Spotify
- Streaming TV
- Large program downloads like MS Office
What are some examples of upload activities?
- Posting photos or videos on social media
- Video chats
- Online gaming
Finding the right package for you
With Bloomer’s fiber internet, you never need to worry about having enough upload speed, as our 100 Mbps and 250 Mbps internet packages are symmetrical—meaning you have the same great speed on the download and upload! And our 500 Mbps and 1000 Mbps packages come with a blazing fast 250 Mbps on the upload.
Contact our friendly, local internet experts today to get started with the area’s fastest internet!
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