DSL uses wire copper telephone lines to transmit data to your home.Because these signals can travel so quickly, fiber internet offers some of the fastest speeds on the market-including symmetrical upload and download speeds. Fiber optic internet transmits data by sending electrical signals through thin glass fibers.The three most common types of high speed internet connections are fiber optic, DSL (Digital Subscriber Line), and cable. So, what internet connections provide reliably symmetrical speeds? And what types of internet are available near you? Many internet connections offer asymmetrical upload and download speeds, so you could receive 100 Mbps in download speeds but only 50 Mbps in upload speeds.Īn asymmetrical speed might not matter too much when streaming movies and shopping online, but if you work from home or are a serious gamer, symmetrical speeds help avoid lag and buffering. It’s important to note that not all internet connections provide symmetrical upload and download speeds (download and upload speeds that are the same speed). E.g., sending an email, making changes to a shared Google doc, video calling, etc.Upload speed is the rate that data is transferred from your device to the Internet.E.g., streaming a movie, scrolling through social media, listening to a podcast, etc.

Download speed is the rate that data is transferred from the Internet to your device.

Both are measured in Mbps, but they serve different purposes for your internet usage. Before we go further, let’s quickly clear up the difference between upload and download speeds.

What is a common download speed