Download speed: the one everyone knows
Download speed is how quickly data travels from the internet to your device. Loading a web page is a download. Streaming a film is a download. Installing an app update is a download. This is the number providers shout about in adverts.
Upload speed: the one that has grown in importance
Upload speed is how quickly data travels from your device to the internet. A video call sends your face and voice to other participants, that is entirely upload. Saving a document to Google Drive or OneDrive is an upload. Posting a photo to Instagram is an upload. Backing up your iPhone photos to iCloud is an upload. As internet usage has shifted from passive consumption to active participation, upload speed has moved from a footnote to a genuine consideration for many households.
Why is upload speed typically so much lower?
Traditional copper broadband infrastructure was deliberately designed with asymmetric speeds, much faster download than upload, based on the assumption that households consume far more than they create. Full fibre connections are fundamentally different. Because fibre optic cables carry data as light in either direction with equal efficiency, full fibre connections typically offer much more balanced upload and download speeds.
What do common tasks need for upload?
Standard video call on Zoom or Teams: 1.5-3.8Mbps per person. HD video call: 3-5Mbps. Live streaming at 720p: 3-5Mbps. Live streaming at 1080p: 6-12Mbps. Large file uploads: the faster the better, with 10Mbps making it practical and 50Mbps making it fast.
