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Broadband Speeds

A discussion of broadband services starts with the rate or speed of data transmission. That includes download speed (from the Internet to your computer) and upload speed (from your computer to the Internet). The minimum Federal Communications Commission (FCC) definition for broadband is 768 Kilobits per second (Kbps) download speed) and at least 200 Kbps upload speed. 79% of all Missouri communities had broadband with speeds of 768 Kbps or higher.

But broadband speeds are probably better understood in terms of which computer applications can be used at various speeds. The following tables show speeds needed for typical applications, speeds of different types of broadband, and the time needed to download various files.

Speeds Needed for Various Uses

Download Speed Typical Application
=768K to <1.5M Basic Email
Web Browsing
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
=1.5M to <3M Streaming Music
Standard Definition (SD) Video
Remote Surveillance
Telecommuting
=3M to <6M File Sharing (Small and Medium Files)
Internet Protocol Television (IPTV)
=6M to <10M Online Gaming
Video on Demand (VOD)
=10M to <25M Telemedicine
Remote Education
IPTV high Definition (HD)
=25M to <50M HD Video Surveillance
=50M to <100M Video Conferencing with Multiple Users
Remote Supercomputing
>=100M Real-Time Data Collection
Real-Time Medical Image Consultation

Speeds of Different Broadband Types

Download Speed DSL Cable Fiber Satellite Cellular Fixed Wireless
=768K to <1.5M • • • • • •
=1.5M to < 3M • • • • • •
=3M to < 6M • • •   • •
=6M to< 10M • • •      
=10M to < 25M • • •      
=25M to < 50M   • •      
=50M to < 100M   • •      
=100M     •      

Speed Comparison Reference Table

Approximate time it takes to perform specific downloads at various speeds

  Digital Photo Audio Track 30 Min TV Show HD Movie
Speed 2 MB file 4 MB file 240 MB file 1.5 GB file
< 200K 2 min 4 min 6:15 hr 39 hr
= 200K to < 768K 46 sec 1:33 min 2:20 hr 10 hr
= 768K to <1.5M 23 sec 46 sec 47 min 5 hr
= 1.5M to < 3M 11 sec 23 sec 27 min 2:30 hr
= 3M to < 6M 6 sec 15 sec 13 min 1:45 hr
= 6M to< 10M 2 sec 4 sec 5 min 1 hr
= 10M to < 25M 0.67 sec 1 sec 3 min 30 min
= 25M to < 50M 0.67 sec 1 sec 1:10 min 7 min
= 50M to < 100M 0.67 sec 0.67 sec 42 sec 4 min
= 100M to < 1G 0.67 sec 0.67 sec 4 sec 1 min
= 1G 0.67 sec 0.67 sec 2 sec 20 sec