Before you take your speed test, here is some general information about Mbps and the different levels of service.
Mbps (megabits per second) transfer rate is equal to megabits per second transfer rate. 1000 kilobits equals one megabit. One megabit per second equals 1 million bits per second.
1-4 Mbps
Typically, this is the lowest level of service available in most areas. Email and most web site will probably buffer often and most music streaming services will work but will have interruption. Internet phone services (VOIP) should have no trouble. However, streaming videos will buffer.
4-6 Mbps
According to the FCC (Federal Communications Commission), this is the minimum speed “generally required for using today’s video rich broadband applications and services.” Users at this speed should not have any trouble with streaming audio or video. Service at this speed will allow some file sharing and should work fine for streaming Internet TV.
6-10 Mbps
For online gamers and heavy video-on-demand, this is the preferred speed. This speed delivers uninterupted online gaming and smooth on-demand video.
10-15 Mbps
Users at this speed say they do notice the increase in speed. Web sites drop right into the browser and your interaction with web-based applications and cloud services will be much quicker. Will help you interact with more complex online applications like remote education services, telemedicine and high definition Internet TV.
15-50 Mbps
If you have a number of devices connected to your network and want to use them at the same time without delays, this may be the speed for you. With the explosion of electronic products that can be connected to the Internet, keeping them all working at peak performance is going to be an increasing challenge. Multiple simultaneous connections will require this level of service.
50+ Mbps
Speed like this is not usually seen feeding home networks. The main reasons for such blazing download speed are commercial – video conferencing, real-time data collection and intense remote computing. But again, with the explosion of web-enabled devices in homes, speed like this may someday become the new normal. Remember, we used to access the Internet with dial-up modems.
Now, take your speed test and remember that results can vary depending on your local area network, IP or access overhead and the network design. Also, if you’re interested in Hilton Head and Bluffton Broadband providers, you can check it out here.
