Fast internet is no more a luxury but a necessity of our lives as it keeps everyone connected at home and work.

With that said, it seems like almost every internet service provider nowadays is promising you the fastest internet speed. So, what exactly is fast? With a head-spinning variety of choices to take your pick from, it often gets too overwhelming to decide what really a fast internet speed is.

What is A Fast Internet?

By most definitions, an internet speed of more than 100 Mbps is considered fast as it can handle numerous online activities for multiple users simultaneously, without major interruptions in service. Similarly, anything close to 1,000 Mbps is called a gigabit service.

Now, if you are thinking why someone would ever demand a download or upload speed as high as 1000+ Mbps, the answer is quite simple: most people do not need it. Having said that, such fast broadband speeds are an essential heartbeat of large households, gamers, techies, and streamers, who find 1,000+ Mbps absolutely worth their time and money.

When are Download Speeds Important?

For most households in the U.S., fast download speeds is of the essence for primarily browsing social media, streaming TV, and downloading music.

• 50 Mbps: For streaming movies in HD, playing games online, downloading heavy files on 2 to 3 devices at once.
• 100 Mbps: For a seamless internet experience for 4 to 5 devices at once.
• 1,000 Mbps: For multiple devices accessing the internet simultaneously for streaming and gaming.

What are Fast Internet Upload Speeds?

Generally, upload speeds of 10+ Mbps are considered fast as they can best handle basic online activities of an average internet user.

When are Upload Speeds Important?

For many people, upload speeds are vital for common online activities like uploading large files or a cloud or server or video conferencing.

• 10 Mbps: Upload heavy files or make video calls in high quality.
• 50 Mbps: Upload large-size attachments and stream videos in 4K content.

What Types of Internet Connections Are More Likely to be Faster?

If you have to take your pick from a range of internet service providers, it is always a smart approach to keep an eye on what technologies providers in your area are offering, and to know which of them offers the fast internet speed.

For fast speeds, cable internet and fiber internet services are definitely your best bets. If you are also looking for consistent speeds, then fiber-optic internet is a great option as it has the least potential to slow down during peak usage times.

Bottom Line

Before checking anything else, make sure to choose a provider that offers 24/7 support like Mediacom Customer Service for a truly reliable experience.

As far as speed is concerned, fast internet is amazing, but paying for faster speeds than you can actually use will not make any difference in your online experience. For this reason, we would suggest you pick an internet provider that perfectly meets your maximum internet speed requirements, so you can save yourself from paying additional bucks for bandwidth that you are not even going to use.