For the past two years to say fast internet has been a necessity would be an understatement. As a netizen l have used the internet for Zoom calls, video streaming and social media. There is nothing l dread as the wrath of slow internet speeds. Nobody wants slow internet.
So, what is good internet speed? That’s debatable and mostly dependent on what you intend to do online. To start with internet speed is measured in megabits per second (Mbps). If all you are using the internet for is scrolling the web, you likely don’t need more than 5 Mbps. However, if you want to do something a bit more rigorous, such as streaming videos, music, or playing games online, you’ll need much more speed and bandwidth.
Okay, you might ask, what determines the speed of your internet? Glad you asked. Upload speed and download speed together determine the internet speed. When internet service providers (ISP) advertise speeds, they are usually talking about download speeds. From a simple perspective download speed is the rate that information travels from the internet to a device, like when looking at a web page or downloading a program. Activities such as listening to music on Spotify, downloading large files or streaming videos on Netflix all require you to download data.
However, upload speeds are equally important. I’ll explain why your upload speeds are important. Upload speed is the rate that information travels from a device to the internet. Upload speeds affect how others see and hear you on the other end of your live video or online game. Unstable upload speeds are the reason for awkward frozen screens and broken audio when using apps like Skype or Zoom.
Video streaming platforms, such as Netflix, needs at least 5Mbps for HD or 25Mbps for 4K content. Video calling services, such as Zoom, typically need up to 5Mbps upload and download. According to Microsoft, online gaming services, such as Xbox Live, need at least 3Mbps down and 0.5Mbps up, while game streaming services need a minimum of 10Mbps down.
But, working from home is an entirely different story. You are not just working from home, you are representing your company, handling money making projects and deadlines, and certainly, you don’t want speeds that will give you headaches. 50 Mbps would ensure a stable connection.
A speed test will make it easy to see your current download speeds and upload speeds for whatever device you are running the test on — but with so many options which ones are credible? Ookla speed test and Fast.com are reliable tests. Ookla consists basic user needs for a speed test: accuracy and a handy app for speed testing from your Android or iOS device. Fast.com is another great broadband test. Its biggest advantages are that it’s owned by Netflix. Making it a great pick for online streamers, because the test is structured around checking to see if your connection is strong enough to stream Netflix in maximum resolution without buffering.
High-speed internet is a great asset to have and is partially determined by your bandwidth that is how much information you can potentially receive every second. Generally, the more bandwidth you have for downloading and uploading, the faster your internet speed will be. Bandwidth is also measured in Mbps and depends on the internet plan you have from your ISP. Locally we are spoiled for choice when it comes to ISPs. Notable names in the Namibian ISP sector are Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC), Telecom Namibia and Paratus Namibia. There have been numerous smaller vendors such as AfricaOnline but the market remains largely dominated by MTC.
Many of us have established that fast Internet that was once a luxury is now a necessity for so many aspects of our daily lives: education, work and entertainment. If you already have challenges with internet speeds, you may want to consider upgrading to a faster plan. You will likely not only get faster upload speeds but also a nice boost in download speeds. Switching providers is also a viable option.