Most consumers pay attention to download speed when choosing an internet plan. This is crucial for a stable Internet connection, fast loading of Internet pages, the smooth use of streaming and much more. But the upload is becoming increasingly important. We answer the most important questions.
- The upload speed indicates how quickly data can be uploaded or sent via an Internet connection.
- Upload is important in numerous modern applications, such as video conferencing, cloud computing, video uploads on social media platforms or online live games.
- In internet tariffs, the speed for downloads is usually much higher than that for uploads.
- The fiber optic technology offers the highest upload rates. DSL often does better than cable.
Why do I need a good upload speed?
Whenever it comes to uploading data: For example in the home office or in homeschooling, when a stable line is required for the video conference – the same applies to video calls with friends. Uploading a photo to social media, exchanging data with a cloud, sending emails with large attachments also all require a good upload data rate. These are all applications that are becoming increasingly important. If the upload rate is too low, uploading takes significantly longer, for example, and video telephony suffers from picture and sound interference.
How fast should my upload be?
Who needs how much upload speed basically depends on the type of Internet usage of the consumer. We recommend an upload speed of at least 10 Mbit / s . If you want to use several applications at the same time, it is better to use more upload speed and book 50 Mbit / s in the upload.
10 Mbit / s is available from DSL providers in almost all tariffs with 50 Mbit / s download speed. With cable providers, consumers must book at least 100 Mbit / s bandwidth in order to secure 10 Mbit / s in the upload. At Telekom, the 50-co-upload is already included in the middle-class DSL tariff with 100 Mbit / s in the download. With Vodafone Kabel, however, only the high-speed tariff with 1,000 Mbit / s download rate. Consumers should note that these figures are maximum speeds. In reality, full speed usually does not arrive.
Speed test: check upload speed
If you want to know how the upload speed of the tariff you are using, you can do a speed test. In addition to the download speed, the upstream is also measured. It is best for consumers to test their Internet connection at different times of the day to be more likely to get a balanced result.
Which technology is the best?
All access technologies have two things in common: The download rate is always significantly higher than the upload rate. A study by abbreviationfinder showed that the upload speed in relation to the download rate is only around 16 percent. And a high upload depends on fast download speeds in the tariff models. This is primarily due to the asymmetrical transfer process of Internet data: more data traffic in the download, less in the upload.
The upload is also conditioned by the internet technology used. The investigation showed that the DSL upload is at least twice as fast as the upload of cable tariffs. A fiber optic connection offers the highest upload. The cable connection has another disadvantage: As with downloading, the upload speed is shared among all participants who share a line (for example in an apartment building or within a household). The available average speed can be below the advertised maximum speed.
Mobile Internet upload speed
LTE tariffs are the standard in the mobile Internet today. Fast LTE tariffs offer upload rates of 50 to 100 Mbit / s. If you often use your mobile data volume to save images and other data in the cloud, you should ensure that the upload is as fast as possible when concluding a contract. Anyone who despairs at the slow upload speed of the stationary Internet connection in the home office or while homeschooling may find a short-term alternative in mobile communications. The maximum speed achieved, however, depends on the quality of the cell phone reception and the cell phone network used. In addition, the data volume included in the tariff usually sets limits on usage: the speed is reduced after the data has been consumed.
What to do if the upload is permanently too low?
If the upload rate causes permanent problems, a tariff change can be useful. A tariff upgrade is usually possible with the Internet provider used: Customers switch to a faster offer. A change in technology may be worthwhile – for example from cable to DSL. Consumers should first check at their place of residence what alternatives are available.
Consumer tip: Consumers will find the upload speed of each tariff listed next to the download speed in the DSL calculator. This makes it easy to compare the offers.
Before an important video conference, consumers can ask family members to take a break from the Internet. Internet-capable devices such as game consoles should be checked for updates that can be stopped in the background. It is also advisable to use only one application, not several at the same time. A tip at the end: You can use a LAN cable for a direct Internet connection. Because upload speed can also be lost via WLAN .
