Most internet providers focus on download speeds and promote plans about download speed while treats upload speed as an underdog. We consider download speed important as we mostly use the internet for using social media platforms, watching videos, and streaming music online. Due to it, internet providers prefer download speeds and prioritize them. For example, CenturyLink internet plans have download speeds up to 100 Mbps and the upload speed is upto 10 Mbps. Therefore, the customers are left with lower upload speeds. In this article, we will talk about the importance of upload speeds, why they are slow, and what you can do to improve them.
Why Upload Speed is Important?
In this pandemic, the majority of people are working and learning from home. Every day people have to make online meetings, conferences, and students have their online classes on daily basis. While we use the best systems and machines for work, our internet connection speeds do not let us work with the required upload speed. While we all are satisfied with the download speeds, it is important to keep an eye on upload speeds as well.
Use of Upload Speeds
To send data or to upload something on the internet, you need upload speeds. Upload speeds determine the time taken in sending a picture or a video or uploading your assignment. But most importantly, it affects your video calls, meetings, and online lectures. The quality of video and audio during the video call also depends on your upload speeds.
Like download speed affect the sound and picture quality of a movie you are watching online, upload speeds affect your video and audio quality during the video conference. If your upload speed is not good enough, you will have to face broken screens and unclear audio during skype or zoom calls.
How much internet speed you need depends on the kind of work you are doing. It also depends on the number of people you are sharing your internet connection with.
Best Upload Speed
If you are using the internet on a single device with a wired connection, a good upload speed of 5Mbps is enough in many activities such as uploading data, making video calls, and online gaming. However, if you are using Wi-Fi and there are many users connected, then an upload speed of 10Mbps or higher is good enough.
Upload Speed For Video Calls
To make zoom or skype calls, a minimum speed of 3Mbps is required. Skype needs a minimum upload speed of 100Kbps to make a call and 512Kbps to make group video calls of more than seven people. Zoom requires more speed than skype. It recommends a minimum upload speed of 600Kbps for one-to-one video calls and around 3.8Mbps for video group calling of high quality of 1080p.
Got Slower upload speeds?
If you are experiencing broken screens and unclear voice during the video calls, or if your screen is freezing multiple times during a call, then your upload speeds are below average upload speeds. To determine the upload speeds, make a speed test to make sure that you are getting the desired upload speeds according to your needs.
How to get high upload Speeds?
After you have determined how much upload speed you need for the kind of work you are doing next thing is to look out for a plan. Before signing up, search the internet service provider that is providing maximum upload speeds. Talk to their customer service and ask about the upload speeds. Since many service providers do not mention the upload speeds in their plans or on their websites, either because they do not feel important to mention the upload speeds or the upload speeds are way slower than the download speeds they are providing.
If you have already signed up for internet service, consider upgrading your plan to a faster one. By doing this, you will get faster upload speeds and a boost in download speeds as well. If your service provider does not have the required upload speed, you can consider switching your service provider.
Bottom Line
At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is how much productive time you have spent. If you keep on working with slower internet, then you will waste much of your time waiting to connect the call or uploading your data.
