Businesses rely on the Internet to connect with customers quickly and efficiently, access account information, host webinars or video chats, facilitate orders and services, and now provide uninterrupted access for remote employees. Cable, cell, and Internet providers promise high speeds, but figuring out the speeds needed for your business is a little different. Pure Speed Lightwave, a top Internet provider in Houston, knows that good Internet speeds drive results. After all, speed is in our name! Read on to learn how to identify the best Internet options for your company.
How To Determine Good Internet Speeds
Internet speed is defined as how fast or slow data packets are uploaded and downloaded between two points. The industry measures the speed of this transfer by megabytes per second. The higher the megabyte, the faster your Internet. Home or residential users typically have 25Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload speeds.1 Businesses generally require higher speeds. For example, here are megabyte usages for basic business tasks2:
| Checking Outlook/Google Email | 1 Mbps |
| Web Browsing | 5 Mbps |
| Skype or Video Calls (2 people max) | 5 Mbps |
| Video Conference Calls | 10 Mbps |
| File Downloading | 10 – 50 Mbps |
| Telecommuting | 5 – 25 Mbps |
How to Test Your Current Internet Speed
Testing your Internet speed is the best way to gauge performance and ensure you’re getting the amount promised by your Internet service provider (ISP). Pure Speed Lightwave created SpeedQuest, a quick and easy Internet speed test for business users regardless of ISP. It provides ping, jitter, download, and upload speeds.
Factors That Impact Internet Speeds
Several factors can prevent a business from maximizing its Internet speeds. Software, hardware (older computers or modems), working strictly on WiFi rather than a wired connection, and failure to upgrade your operating software can cause slowdowns. Congestion, both internal with employee access and external high usages rates, will dramatically slow down your Internet speed. It’s also one of the biggest challenges for businesses.
Internet Speed Needs to Change Based on User Demand
Commercial broadband access requires significantly higher speeds to prevent latency when workers download and upload simultaneously. Depending on the average number of users using the connection, your bandwidth (or transfer rate) requirements may vary.
| Internet Speed | Number of Users/Devices |
| 2-25 Mbps | 1-5 Employees |
| 75 Mbps | 5-10 Employees |
| 150 Mbps | 10-15 Employees |
| 250 Mbps | 15-20 Employees |
| 500 Mbps | 20-30 Employees |
| 1 Gbps (1,000 Mbps) | 30 or more Employees |
To achieve Internet speeds as high as 1 Gbps, companies need to look beyond broadband and cable, which top out at 500 Mbps3 and are asynchronous – which means upload speeds are slower. Fiber optic technology enables synchronous upload and download speeds and is the most cost-efficient option for organizations. PS Lightwave offers industry-leading 100% fiber solutions for business Internet services in Houston.
The Best High-Speed Internet Provider in Houston
Pure Speed Lightwave created a privately owned, 100% fiber infrastructure. Our high-speed network is diversely routed, which helps reduce latency issues that occur on other carrier networks. Greater Houston Area businesses can count on our cutting-edge technology, best-in-class connectivity, reliability, scalability and redundancy, burstable bandwidth, and speeds up to 100 Gbps – more than ten times what’s offered by other Internet providers in Houston.
If you’re ready to increase your Internet speeds, need flexible network solutions, or want to set up custom Internet services in Houston for your business, contact us today at 832-615-8000.
Sources:
2- https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/broadband-speed-guide
