Broadband speed is how fast data can be downloaded (received) or uploaded (sent) over your internet connection. It's measured in megabits per second (Mbps) and determines how quickly you can load websites, stream videos, download files, and use online services.
Speed matters because it affects how smoothly everything works online - from browsing websites to streaming 4K video to video calling. The faster your speed, the better your online experience.
How is speed measured?
Mbps stands for "megabits per second" and is a measure of how fast data can be transferred over your internet connection. One megabit is one million bits of data. The higher the Mbps, the faster your internet connection is.
Units:
- Mbps - Megabits per second (most common)
- Gbps - Gigabits per second (1 Gbps = 1,000 Mbps)
- Kbps - Kilobits per second (1 Mbps = 1,000 Kbps)
Two types of speed:
- Download speed - How fast you can receive data (most important for most people)
- Upload speed - How fast you can send data (important for video calls, uploading files)
What you'll see:
- Advertised speed - What provider promises (e.g., "up to 100 Mbps")
- Actual speed - What you actually get (usually lower, especially at peak times)
- Average speed - Typical speed you can expect
- Peak time speed - Speed during busy periods (evening, weekends)
What Mbps means in practice:
- How fast downloads are - How quickly you can get files, videos, or web pages
- How fast uploads are - How quickly you can send files or stream content
- How many devices can use it - More Mbps means more devices can use the internet at once
For example, if you have 100 Mbps, you can theoretically download 100 million bits of data every second (though actual speeds are usually lower).
What speeds are available?
Typical UK speeds:
- Basic broadband - 10-20 Mbps (older ADSL connections)
- Standard broadband - 30-50 Mbps (fibre to cabinet - FTTC)
- Superfast broadband - 50-100 Mbps (FTTC or better)
- Ultrafast broadband - 100-500 Mbps (fibre to premises - FTTP)
- Gigabit broadband - 500-1000+ Mbps (full fibre)
What affects available speed:
- Your location - What's available in your area
- Connection type - Fibre is faster than ADSL
- Distance from exchange - Affects ADSL/FTTC speeds
- Infrastructure - Whether full fibre is available
What speed do I need?
The speed you need depends on what you do online and how many people use the internet:
Light use (browsing, email):
- 10-20 Mbps - Enough for basic browsing and email
- Single user - One person using internet
- No streaming - Not streaming video or gaming
- Basic tasks - Web browsing, social media, email
Moderate use (streaming, working from home):
- 30-50 Mbps - Good for streaming HD video
- Multiple devices - 2-3 devices using internet
- HD streaming - Netflix, iPlayer in HD
- Video calls - Zoom, Teams calls work well
- Working from home - Good for remote work
Heavy use (4K streaming, gaming, multiple users):
- 50-100 Mbps - Excellent for most households
- 4K streaming - Can stream 4K video
- Online gaming - Good for gaming
- Multiple users - 3-4 people using simultaneously
- Large downloads - Fast file downloads
Very heavy use (large household, lots of devices):
- 100-500 Mbps - For large households
- Multiple 4K streams - Several people streaming 4K
- Heavy gaming - Serious online gaming
- Many devices - 5+ devices using internet
- Future-proof - Good for future needs
Gigabit (1,000 Mbps):
- Overkill for most - More than most people need
- Large families - Very large households
- Power users - Heavy downloaders, content creators
- Future-proofing - If you want the fastest available
Understanding speed requirements by activity
Here's what different activities need:
Streaming video:
- SD quality - 3-5 Mbps
- HD quality - 5-10 Mbps
- 4K quality - 25+ Mbps
Video calls:
- Standard quality - 1-2 Mbps
- HD quality - 2-4 Mbps
- Group calls - 4-8 Mbps
Online gaming:
- Minimum - 3-5 Mbps
- Recommended - 10-25 Mbps
- Low latency - Response time is more important than raw speed
Downloading files:
- Depends on file size - Larger files need more speed
- 100 Mbps - Downloads 12.5 MB per second
- 50 Mbps - Downloads 6.25 MB per second
Why does speed matter?
Faster loading:
- Websites load instantly - No waiting for pages to load
- Smooth browsing - Everything feels responsive
- Better experience - More enjoyable to use internet
Better streaming:
- No buffering - Videos play without pausing
- Higher quality - Can stream in HD or 4K
- Multiple streams - Several people can stream simultaneously
- Smooth playback - No stuttering or quality drops
Faster downloads:
- Quick file downloads - Large files download quickly
- App updates - Phone and computer updates are fast
- Game downloads - Games download in minutes, not hours
- Software updates - Operating system updates are quick
Better video calls:
- Clear video - High-quality video calls
- No freezing - Smooth, uninterrupted calls
- Multiple participants - Can handle group video calls
- Screen sharing - Smooth screen sharing
Online gaming:
- Lower latency - Less lag in online games
- Faster updates - Game updates download quickly
- Better experience - Smoother, more responsive gaming
- Multiple gamers - Several people can game simultaneously
Multiple users:
- No slowdown - Everyone can use internet without affecting others
- Simultaneous use - Multiple people streaming, gaming, working
- No conflicts - One person's usage doesn't slow others down
Why are actual speeds lower than advertised?
Your actual speed is usually lower than the advertised speed because:
"Up to" speeds:
- Providers advertise "up to" speeds, not guaranteed speeds
- This is the maximum possible, not what you'll always get
Network congestion:
- More people online means slower speeds
- Peak times (evenings) can be slower
Connection type:
- Full fibre (FTTP) - Fastest, most reliable
- Fibre to cabinet (FTTC) - Good, but limited by copper to home
- ADSL - Slowest, limited by distance from exchange
Distance:
- From exchange - ADSL/FTTC speeds drop with distance
- From router - Wi-Fi speed drops with distance
- Obstacles - Walls, floors reduce Wi-Fi speed
Time of day:
- Peak times - Evenings and weekends are slower
- Off-peak - Early morning, weekday afternoons are faster
- Network congestion - More people online = slower speeds
Your equipment:
- Router quality - Better router = better Wi-Fi
- Device capability - Older devices may not support fast speeds
- Wi-Fi vs wired - Wired connection is faster than Wi-Fi
- Cables - Old or damaged cables can reduce speed
- Older routers - May not support faster speeds
- Multiple devices - Sharing the connection
Number of users:
- More users - More people online = slower for everyone
- Heavy usage - Large downloads affect others
- Simultaneous activities - Multiple streams/games at once
Speed test websites:
- Speedtest.net - Most popular, reliable
- Fast.com - Netflix's speed test
- Broadband Speed Checker - UK-specific
- Your provider's test - Many providers have their own
How to test:
- Close other apps - Stop downloads, streaming, etc.
- Connect via cable - Use Ethernet cable for most accurate result
- Test multiple times - Run test 2-3 times for average
- Test at different times - Peak and off-peak
- Check both speeds - Download and upload
What to look for:
- Download speed - Most important number
- Upload speed - Important for video calls, uploading
- Ping/latency - Lower is better (important for gaming)
- Compare to advertised - Should be close to what you're paying for
What if my speed is too slow?
If your speed is slower than expected:
Check your connection:
- Check your package - Make sure you're paying for the speed you think you are
- Upgrade package - Switch to faster broadband
- Switch provider - Different provider may offer better speeds
- Check availability - See if faster options are available
Improve Wi-Fi:
- Test with wired connection - Wi-Fi can be slower
- Better router - Upgrade to better router
- Wi-Fi extender - Extend Wi-Fi to dead zones
- Mesh system - Whole-home Wi-Fi coverage
- Position router - Better placement improves signal
Reduce interference:
- Check for interference - Other devices can affect Wi-Fi
- Fewer devices - Disconnect unused devices
- Close apps - Stop unnecessary downloads/streaming
- Update equipment - Keep router and devices updated
- Check for issues - Malware, viruses can slow connection
Contact your provider:
- They can check - If there's a problem with your connection
- May need upgrade - You may need a faster package
Can I improve my speed?
Wired connection:
- Use Ethernet - Wired is faster than Wi-Fi
- Powerline adapters - Use electrical wiring for connection
- Direct connection - Connect important devices via cable
Upgrade options:
- Upgrade package - Switch to faster broadband
- Switch provider - Different provider may offer better speeds
- Check availability - See if faster options are available
Summary
- Broadband speed is how fast data can be downloaded or uploaded, measured in Mbps (megabits per second)
- Mbps stands for "megabits per second" - one megabit is one million bits of data
- Download speed is most important for most people; upload speed matters for video calls and uploading
- Typical speeds range from 10-20 Mbps (basic) to 1000+ Mbps (gigabit)
- Most households need 30-100 Mbps for good experience with streaming, gaming, and multiple users
- Speed requirements vary by activity: streaming 4K needs 25+ Mbps, HD video needs 5-10 Mbps, gaming needs 10-25 Mbps
- Speed matters for faster loading, better streaming, quick downloads, smooth video calls, and online gaming
- Actual speeds are usually lower than advertised "up to" speeds due to network congestion, distance, equipment, and time of day
- Test your speed using Speedtest.net or similar - use a wired connection for accurate results
- You can improve speed by upgrading package, improving Wi-Fi, using wired connections, or reducing interference
- Faster speeds cost more but provide better experience, especially for multiple users or heavy usage
- Most people find 50-100 Mbps is the sweet spot - fast enough for everything without paying for more than needed
