How fast is my broadband? A guide to upload speed, download speed and how to check it
If you're on the lookout for a high-speed internet access deal, thinking of changing service provider or simply upgrading an existing account, one of the key things to consider is how fast the broadband supply is going to be. You'll see no end of impressive statistics in ISP's advertisements and marketing blurb but, because of numerous factors, real-time broadband speeds can vary wildly. What might look like a great deal with sizzling connectivity and seemingly unlimited upload and download limits can often be less impressive once you actually get connected.
Megabits, MB, Gigabytes - what??
It's easy to get confused just because of the terminology.
Broadband speed is measured in megabits per second, which you'll normally see quoted written as Mb or Mbps. Don't get caught out by mistaking megabits (Mb) for megabytes (MB) - Mb and MB - note the difference in capitalisation! There are eight megabits (8Mb) in one megabyte (1MB). Just to confuse everybody, download speeds are quoted in megabits (Mb) and file sizes are quoted in megabytes ((MB) or gigabytes (GB). 1GB = approx. 1,000MB. So if you have a 1Mb broadband connection, it should take eight seconds to download a 1MB file, or approx. 8,000 seconds (that's about 17 minutes) to download a 1GB file. Make sense?!
So, if you're interested in getting broadband then it's likely you'll be keen to know much content such as movies and music you'll be able to get through your supply. Digital content like this is referred to in megabyte (MB) and gigabyte (GB) chunks, as are download allowances in broadband deals sold by ISPs. So, just remember that broadband speed is focused around megabits per second (Mb) while it's MB and GB for the actual files you're uploading (like putting your holiday pictures on the web) and downloading (such as watching movies and streaming TV shows).
If you didn't understand that then it doesn't really matter because you'll always be comparing like or like - for example, it's pretty plain that a 50Mb connection is faster than an 8Mb connection.
How fast is broadband?
Once you've got the gist of that it's important to then understand the general broadband speed spectrum. Home broadband can fall anywhere and everywhere between 8Mb and 50Mb, but this is evolving all the time as networks, technology and coverage levels improve across Australia. One of the best ways of finding out how you'll fare with an internet Service Provider is to use a broadband testing service that'll help to give you a snapshot of both download and upload speeds. The great thing about this is that it's free and, more importantly, you can do it as many times as you like in order to get a wide ranging snapshot of broadband services in your geographical area and at any given time.
A broadband speed test can be used to determine the efficiency of both fixed-line cable and ADSL services and their variants, such as ADSL2+. It's also possible to check mobile broadband deals in much the same way, although this is perhaps not quite as clear-cut because of the transient nature of the device and signal you plan on using.
What affects my broadband speed?
There are a number of factors that can affect the speed of your broadband supply and while some are fairly obvious, others are less likely to be spotted without the use of a quick speed test. Common-sense considerations such as the length and quality of the line feeding the supply between your house and the local exchange can be a major factor. Similarly, checking the quality of the cabling and connections once the supply reaches inside your house can be well worth examining too. Many households now have multiple computers and other devices that access the broadband supply, so this can cause bottlenecks or conflicts as well. Things like this can often be fairly easily ironed-out with a bit of self-testing and basic troubleshooting.
More and more of us are now opting to use wireless modems and routers to send the broadband signal around our homes and business too. Wi-Fi can be affected by interference from other devices, multiple users can weaken the distribution of a signal and old equipment can similarly hamper a broadband supply. Indeed, while you might have signed up to one or upgraded an existing broadband supply an outdated wireless router may not be able to distribute that signal efficiently. A wireless-N capable router can handle much larger amounts of data traffic than an old-style wireless-B one, so consider upgrading hardware as well as your line.
Broadband speed tests
That aside, you'll find a speed test can help identify factors that are less obvious and also issues that are beyond your control. For example, broadband speeds can be hugely affected by the amount of traffic using the available network. Lots of users online at the same time, uploading and downloading large chunks of data, can put a lot of strain on even the most efficient of broadband networks. internet Service Providers also monitor this traffic and can often tweak the supply in order to keep things running as efficiently as possible, which can also directly affect your own supply. This can often be referred to as 'traffic shaping' or 'throttling'. Heavy broadband users can occasionally be affected more than others because of the additional drain they put on the network.
So how does an online speed test work? Once you've initiated a speed test the web server will send a small amount of data (512KB) through the line you're checking to the computer being used. The testing procedure can last between 10 and 20 seconds, during which it will evaluate how much data is needed to carry out a full speed test. During the same session the process also check the upload speed in a similar fashion. A full test follows next and this then calculates the average speed while the results are duly delivered to your desktop. It's a good idea to perform a few tests on different days and times to get a broader overview of the line in question.
However, you should be mindful that while these tests can be hugely helpful in getting a better idea of the speed of services available to you, they're not foolproof. Nevertheless, they help give you an invaluable insight into what you can realistically expect from a service and certainly flag up any major problem areas, which is especially useful in a country as large and as geographically challenging as Australia. It's also a very good idea to check the ISPs terms and conditions, because in the case of traffic shaping and throttling, usage levels and quotas should be clearly laid out in the small print. Alongside doing the online test, this is a good way to check that you're not going to pay a penalty (either in getting less of a service or financially), should you exceed the data limits specified by the provider.
