Written by Robyn Hyde, Customer Director
6 aug 2024 - We rely on the internet for almost everything these days – communication, entertainment, research, work, shopping, banking, working, and more. It’s become an essential part of our lives, both connecting us to more information than ever and giving us the convenience of never leaving our seats to do so.
More and more electronics are becoming ‘smart’ too – from lightbulbs that can be switched on with a voice command, to fridges that can show you what’s inside via an app while you’re out and about. And homes are running with more and more electronics connected to Wi-Fi at once, especially with more people working from home than ever.
That’s why it’s crucial to have a broadband connection that can keep up with the ever-increasing demands of modern life. And why your broadband speed really matters.
Broadband speed is simply how fast information can travel to and from your device(s) over the internet. The speed of your broadband connection depends primarily on what kind of broadband you have, because different kinds of broadband use different types of connections.
For example, the slowest (and oldest) type of broadband, ADSL broadband, uses copper wires to transmit data via electric signals. The next generation of broadband, superfast fibre broadband, uses a combination of copper wires and much faster fibre optic cables to transmit data (fibre optic cables use rapid pulses of light to transmit data). The latest generation and fastest type of broadband, ultrafast Full Fibre broadband, exclusively uses fibre optic cables to transmit data.
The higher your broadband speed, the faster you can download files, browse the internet, scroll and post on social media and use streaming services – and the more of these you can do all at once on multiple devices.
Read more about the different types of broadband and if you can get fibre broadband in your area here.
Broadband speed is measured in how many units of data can be transferred to and from your device in a second. A tiny unit of data is called a ‘bit’. But because so many units are involved, broadband is measured per million of bits – known as a megabit. So broadband speed is measured in megabits per second (Mbps) instead of just bits per second.
Megabits aren’t to be confused with megabytes (MB) – megabytes measure the amount of data that can be stored on a device.
When thinking about which broadband speed you need, there are two different types to take into account: download speed (also known as downstream bandwidth) and upload speed (also known as upstream bandwidth).
When you download something, you receive data to your device, and when you upload something you send data from your device. So download speed means the speed at which you can receive data, and upload speed is the speed at which you can receive data.
For example, download speed determines how fast you can download an attachment someone emailed you, while upload speed determines how fast the photo you posted to social media will go up. Both are measured in Mbps, and both are equally important in enjoying a smooth internet experience.
Streaming a film or TV series
Watching a YouTube video
reading an online article
Shopping online
Looking at social media
Live gaming
Live streaming
Uploading videos to YouTube
Transferring files to cloud storage
Taking video calls
Using cloud-based services like Google Docs
When you think of how to choose a broadband speed though, you’ll usually be comparing download speeds, as these are the speeds that providers advertise.
Upload speeds are also generally lower than download speeds. This is because practically every online activity involves downloading data, so your everyday browsing experience will depend more on it. But don’t worry – a higher download speed generally means a higher upload speed to go with it.
A good download speed depends on the size of your household and what you’re using the internet for on a day-to-day basis. In general, a good broadband speed lets you get on with your life without the frustration of waiting for a website to load or experiencing video call drop-outs.
For a small household of one or two who only use the internet for emails and casual browsing, and who don’t stream videos or use social media much, standard copper broadband at around 10Mbps may be just about enough.
But for a household of five where everyone works from home, games online, streams TV in 4K and uses social media (or all four), only Full Fibre might do – which reaches speeds of up to 100Mbps or more.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the most common download speed ranges you’ll come across, and what kind of activities and households they’re most suitable for:
Smaller households of one to two people that use the internet for general web browsing, sending and receiving emails, and watching low-resolution videos.
Larger households that make frequent video calls, enjoy HD video streaming and social media, and have a small number of smart devices in the home.
Larger households that enjoy 4K video streaming, online gaming, video calls, social media and have a handful of smart devices in the home.
Large households that frequently stream 4K videos, game online, scroll on social media and take video calls at the same time, as well as have a large number of smart devices in the home.
When comparing broadband speeds, providers will give both an average download speed and, based on your location, a minimum guaranteed download speed.
This is because the speed of any broadband connection varies depending on how busy it is at any given time. For example, your home connection is likely to be more congested from around 8–10pm when everyone in your area is home from work.
The minimum guaranteed speed will be the lowest possible speed you’d expect to encounter on that connection.
To check your current upload and download speeds, you can use the UW broadband speed checker.
The most common thing affecting your download speed is network congestion, when several people in your area are heavily using the connection at once (as explained above). Multiple devices used within your household at once can also affect speed and performance.
The amount that the download speed is slowed down depends on how heavy the usage is. For example, two people scrolling on social media will have less of an effect than two people streaming 4K videos on different devices.
Sometimes it’s not the speed of the connection itself that’s the problem, but your router having trouble connecting properly. Your provider should have a troubleshooting guide to help you check if the problem is your router. In many cases, resetting it by switching the router off from the mains for a few moments and then back on again does the trick.
The location of your router can also matter – place it away from thick walls or obstructions, and in the room where the Wi-Fi is most used. And make sure it’s not near anything that could cause interference with the wireless signal, for example, a microwave or Bluetooth device.
Sometimes the age of your router can affect your connection speed. Older modems or routers might not be up to scratch, while newer ones are designed to keep up with higher-speed connections. Older devices like computers and laptops may also run slow because they weren’t designed to be able to handle high connection speeds. Learn more about why your internet is so slow and how you can boost its speed.
In rare cases, unusually slow speeds or no connection at all might indicate that there’s an internet outage in your area. Click here to read about how to check if the internet is down in your area.
If your internet is down, you may be eligible for compensation if your provider is signed up to Ofcom’s automatic compensation scheme. It’s a voluntary scheme, so now all providers offer this service – UW is one provider currently offering it.
If you regularly find yourself feeling frustrated or held back by your current internet connection, the chances are you need a faster broadband plan.
Consider upgrading your connection if you often:
Have to wait more than a few moments for websites to load
Have to wait ages for files to download
Have to wait for videos to buffer
Find your video or online calls freezing or dropping out
Find your smart tech experiencing connection errors
Experience lots of lagging while online gaming
Are you already struggling with the above, or are your circumstances about to change (for example, you’re about to start working from home more often)? It may be time to get Full Fibre broadband.
Most internet providers now offer Full Fibre, but not every area is compatible with the network yet. However, more and more areas across the UK are being upgraded with Full Fibre capabilities every day.
Take a look at our handy guide to see how to check if you can get fibre broadband in your area, and what the government is doing to help more people get access to fibre broadband.
Having a broadband connection you can count on not only makes everyday life smoother, but also prepares you for a future of technological developments.
Whatever you think about the online world, having access to a fast, stable internet connection is crucial for everyday life – whether for your home or your business. And while it might seem silly that we now have smart fridges that you can send emails from, the future is only going to get more and more connected.
Ready to choose a connection that suits you? Visit our broadband page to find out about the different plans we offer, and click here to enter your postcode and see what kinds of connections are available at your address.
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