Broadband speed

Broadband speed

Internet download speed relates to the time it takes for a website page to appear on your screen or a file to be downloaded. Choosing the most suitable download speed for your broadband internet connection will depend on how you expect to use the web.

Broadband speeds are often compared to the speed of a dial-up modem to make comparisons easier – for example a 1Mb download speed is approximately 20 times (20x) faster than a dial-up modem. See below for more explanation of each download speed.

  • 512K Perfect for basic surfing and getting emails
  • 1Mb Fast enough for most users
  • 2Mb Speed that will suit users who like to download large files such as video and music tracks
  • 3Mb The faster way to get videos and music - normally this speed is provided by cable companies only
  • 4Mb Very very fast download speed - music tracks will take just a few seconds to download
  • 8Mb Well - 8Mb is so fast it's frightening - this is for surfers who feel the need for speed!