We all know that fast Internet is essential, especially when streaming our favorite shows or gaming. But you probably don’t think much about how important is upload speed.
It isn’t as popularly marketed as download speed – is it necessary? Do I really need it?
Well, a high upload speed is necessary for activities like video calling, Skype, fast file transfers, streaming experiences and even playing online games with others that make the most of current technologies to communicate with each other on the Internet.
In this article, I’ll discuss why upload speed is important aspect of the Internet which could be just as useful (if not more so) than download speed depending on what kind of Internet needs you have.
So without further ado, let’s get to How Important is Upload Speed?
What is Upload Speed?
Upload speed is the rate at which data can be transferred from your computer to the Internet. This is in contrast to download speed, which is the rate at which data can be transferred from the Internet to your computer.
Most of what you do online involves downloading, from loading a basic web page to watching a 4K video on Netflix. Thus, broadband companies put a lot of attention on download speeds. But at the same time, you’re also constantly uploading. Your computer uploads data packets to websites and Internet services whenever it talks.
Everything from cloud file or photo sharing to live streaming video chats, gaming, and conferences uses the uploading speed. Upload speeds are measured in megabits per second, or Mbps, just as download speeds.
Do you know – According to the Recent Data from Speedtest.net states that ~ the global median Internet speed in December 2021 was 60 Mbps for download and 25 Mbps for upload speeds. What’s yours?
The importance of Internet is well known and in the following section will help you to understand the importance of upload speed.
How Important is Upload Speed? 5 Aspects
Uses of computer could be for various purposes like most individuals, from checking email to streaming your favorite show. But if your upload speed is slow, you may find some of these tasks frustratingly too much time. The following points explains why upload speed is important in five different aspects.
1. Online Gaming & Streaming
Your upload speed is vital for gaming because it determines how fast your computer can send data to the Game server. The faster your upload speed, the less lag you’ll experience.
Games are becoming interactive nowadays. You can communicate with your friends or other players while playing games. It becomes critical to consider how quickly information from your computer or gaming console reaches a remote server. There are two things to keep in mind regarding gaming and upload speeds: ping and latency.
Ping is the time it takes for your computer to send data to the Game server and receive a response back. A low ping means a faster response time and less lag.
On the other hand, latency is the time it takes for data to travel from your computer to the Game server. The lower the latency, the less lag you’ll experience. So if you want a lag-free gaming experience, you need an Internet connection with low ping and latency.
That is why having a fast upload speed connection is key when it comes to gaming, and a slow or unreliable connection can result in lag, which can be quite frustrating, especially when you’re in the middle of an intense battle, further more delay will you notice in case playing games off an external hard drive.
For serious gamers, you’ll want an Internet connection with high upload speed. That’s why wired connection is suggested for gaming with a decent length of ethernet cable which should reach to the PC tower.
2. Video Conferencing
Like gaming, streaming, and other online activities, your upload speed is also essential for video conferencing and when making VoIP phone calls and video calls using Zoom or Microsoft Teams. The quality of your live call will be based on your Net connection and the other participants’ connections.
If you have a fast download speed but a slow upload speed, you may experience lagging or buffering while live streaming or on a video call. As well as, the other participants in the meeting may not be able to see or hear you properly. This can make it difficult to contribute to the discussion or participate actively in the meeting.
To make your video conferencing successful, you need a decent upload speed from your Internet or Intranet connection for companies. You’ll need an Internet connection with at least a 2 Mbps upload speed and for business meetings and other purposes is around five to eight Mbps.
3. Live Streaming
People love watching live streaming on various platforms like Twitch and YouTube. For a smooth live stream, you need an excellent upload speed. A slow upload speed can result in choppy video quality or long buffering periods.
To avoid these issues while live streaming, you need a minimum of 0.35 Mbps for SD quality or between three to four Mbps for HD quality video. To get the best results, you should have an upload speed of more than five Mbps if the connection from ethernet port then it will be more effective.
There are two things to remember when it comes to living streaming: bitrate and resolution. Bitrate is the number of bits per second transferred from your computer to the Internet. The higher the bitrate, the better the quality of your live stream will be.
The resolution, on the other hand, is the number of pixels that make up your live stream. A higher resolution means a sharper and clearer image, but it also uses more bandwidth. So if you’re live streaming at a high resolution, you’ll need a higher upload speed to avoid issues like pixelation, buffering, and frozen video.
4. File Uploading and Backup
You might download games and files from Internet, but what about uploading them? Whenever you upload a file to Google Drive or Dropbox, it has to be transferred from your device to their storage servers type. The process works similarly when you attach a file to an email.
The speed of this process depends on your upload speed. If you upload a large file, such as a Docs, PPT, or archived files, and your upload speed is slow, it will take longer for the transfer to complete.
A fast upload speed is crucial if you want to back up your computer regularly. If you have a lot of files to backup, a slow upload speed can make the process take a long time.
Tip – If you don’t have ethernet connection for uploading purposes then go with 5Ghz Wi-Fi connection instead regular 2.4Ghz as long as it supports.
5. Social media posts
If you’re active on social media, you know that pictures and videos are a big part of the experience. Whenever you upload a photo or video to Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat, it has to be transferred from your device to their servers.
If you’re trying to upload a large file, such as an HD video or high-resolution photos, it relies on how fast is your Internet upload connection; if it is slow, it can be frustrating if you’re in a hurry or if you have a lot of files to upload.
Further, you need a speedy upload speed if you want to live stream on social media. The recommended minimum for live streaming is three Mbps, but if you want to stream high-quality video, you should have an upload speed of at least five Mbps.
We hope all your questions regarding upload speed be answered. If you still doubt the same, then the following FAQ will clear all your doubts:
FAQs
What is the excellent upload speed?
25MBPS is considered a suitable upload speed that can manage regular uploading work. But if you constantly send data and files, you must consider increasing it.
Is upload speed important for VoIP?
Upload speed is very important for VoIP because it determines how quickly your voice can be transmitted to the other party. The faster the upload speed, the smoother the call will be. For optimal performance, a minimum upload speed of 128Kbps is recommended. If your upload speed is lower than 100 Kbps, you may experience choppy audio or dropped calls as well as poor call quality.
What affects upload speed?
The speed at which you can upload documents, files, or photos is influenced by different factors, such as the distance between your computer and the website and the path, speed, and, most importantly, the bandwidth capacity of the website’s connection.
Why is my upload speed slow?
You might think you noticed that your upload speed is slow. There can be various reasons behind the slow upload speed, but your Internet plan is the main reason. Most ISP plans, except fibre Internet access, typically have maximum upload speeds of a tenth or less of their download speeds.
Does VPN increase the upload speed of the Internet?
Yes, using a VPN might enhance the upload speed because a VPN can sometimes route your traffic through a less congested server or network, improving your overall speed. Also, a VPN encrypts your traffic, which can also help to improve your speeds. Still, speed may vary depending on the location of the VPN server you’re connected to and the strength of your Internet connection.
Is higher upload speed better?
If you frequently upload large files or do a lot of online gaming, then a higher upload speed definitely wouldn’t hurt. However, if you just use the Internet or Wifi for general web browsing and checking email, then a lower speed should suffice.
Conclusion
In conclusion, upload speed is just as important as download speed, if not more so. However, when you start to experience issues with it, you begin to realize just how important it is.
A fast upload speed will make your life easier, from gaming to streaming to file sharing. If you’re having trouble with a slow upload speed, there are several things you can do to improve it. Whether you’re a gamer, streamer, or conference caller, your upload speed can make a big difference in the quality of your experience.
Having wired Internet connection not only speed will be effective but importantly the network security also improves.
Check with your ISP to see if there’s anything they can do and consider upgrading your Internet package. You may also need to upgrade your router or modem. Whatever you do, make sure you have a fast upload speed to take full advantage of everything the Internet offers.
I hope this article helped you figure out ‘How Important is Upload Speed’.
