At its onset, internet was relegated to dial-up connections that provided very slow speeds. Those old enough may recall the times of busy signals and interrupted connections due to shared phone lines. As technology changed, a broadband connection offered much higher speeds and uninterrupted connections. Extremely slow connections may be measured in kilobits per second (Kbps), although most speeds are now measured in megabits per second (Mbps). The higher the number of bytes you are able to download per second, the faster your connection.

In order to fully understand how internet speeds work, let’s define a few key terms:

• Content you stream is audio or video data transmitted continuously and refers to the delivery method, not the data itself. Streamed content is not saved anywhere on your device.
• Downloading. When you download a file, whether it be a movie, a song or something else, the item is copied onto your device from another source. This is typically done over the internet.
• When you upload a file, you are copying it from your device to another location, such as uploading your weekend photos to your social media accounts.

Perhaps you stream, download and upload, maybe you only do one of these. There are several factors to keep in mind when determining how much internet speed your household needs, including the number of users, the types of use (basic web browsing, media sharing, streaming content, file downloading, online gaming, video chat, cloud storage, streaming music, etc.), frequency of use and the number of devices in your home. Keep in mind that even if you live solo, your home may have several devices connected to your home internet, including mobile devices, TVs, gaming systems, laptops, tablets and other electronics.

• 10 Mbps speeds are good for light internet users who check email and surf the internet a few times a week and have one standard-definition television
• 100 Mpbs speeds are good for more advanced web browsing and watching high-definition video streaming
• 300 Mbps speeds are good for gaming, teleconferencing, ultra-high-definition streams, and a household of high end users
• Gigabit internet speed is the next generation of broadband internet service, delivering speed to power all your devices in the home at the same time, whether you’re using your mobile devices, video streaming, gaming or have a home office.

What can you do with gigabit internet speeds?

Gigabit speeds offer internet that is 100 times faster than the average speed in the U.S. today. With a gig, you can:

• Run ALL your devices at the same time
• Download an HD movie in less than 60 seconds
• Download 100 songs in three seconds
• Upload about 1,000 photos in about a minute

How can I be sure I have the appropriate Internet speed?

Now that you have a clearer picture of internet speeds and how much your household needs, it’s best to consult an expert. Visit cox.com/speedtest and use the Cox Speed Advisor tool for a customized look at your needs or visit a Cox Solutions store today to discover the Internet speed package that’s best for you. You could save time, money and bandwidth!