Contrary to what the big cable companies would have you believe, internet speed includes two numbers, both download and upload speed. Download determines how fast your device can receive information from the internet, and upload speed shows how long it takes to put information on the internet.
Upload speeds are important for large households or households with several devices. Higher upload speeds are also required to quickly and seamlessly complete daily activities such as:
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- Working from home
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- Distance learning
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- Livestreaming on social media
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- Large file and video uploads
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- Online gaming
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Why big cable companies don’t advertise upload speed
Since upload is so important to our everyday internet activities, why don’t big cable companies advertise their speeds?
Because upload is usually a fraction of the download speeds, big cable companies make this information really difficult to find. This is one of the reasons why Congress and the FCC are demanding transparency and are considering the implementation of a broadband label requirement.
Most of the large cable companies only offer upload speeds up to 50 Mbps. That means uploading a 1.5 GB video on a 50 Mbps connection would take 4 minutes. Comparatively, Hunter’s fiber-optic 1 Gbps/1 Gbps symmetrical internet connection only takes 12 seconds.
Why Upload Speed Is Important
Research has shown that many new technologies have greater requirements for upload compared to download speeds. Security cameras, for example, need higher upload speeds since they are constantly monitoring and uploading video. Video conferencing is another instance where upload requirements can be up to 50% higher than the download.
The growth of new technology is fueling the need for higher upload speeds. Over the past few years, upload traffic on the internet has been increasing at an incredible rate and shows no signs of slowing. Researchers predict that by 2030, the average upload speed will be almost 600 Mbps.
Upload speed is and will continue to be an important factor for a quality internet experience. As the technology sector delivers new smart home devices and augmented reality (AR) gadgets, upload speeds will become even more important, and fiber-optic internet is the only method of keeping up with our ever growing need for speed.
Hunter Communications is committed to transparency. That is why we advertise our upload speeds and have a simple pricing structure. To purchase our 1 Gbps / 1 Gbps symmetrical fiber-optic internet service, click the button below.