Broadband for Home Working: Why Upload Speed Matters
Upload speed determines how quickly your device sends data online. For home working, video calls, cloud storage, and file sharing, a good upload speed is typically at least 25 Mbps. If you’re wondering how to improve upload speed, there are several ways to improve or change your upload speed, including upgrading your broadband package or optimising your home network.
What is upload speed and why does it matter for home working?
As hybrid and remote job roles have become an increasingly normal part of working life, optimising your home WiFi setup has never been more important. Having video calls interrupted by a lagging connection can be frustrating, but by paying attention to your upload speed and learning how to improve it, your work from home days can run much smoother.
Upload speed measures how quickly your connected device can send data to the internet and is measured in megabits per second (Mbps).
Upload speed is typically referenced when talking about video calls, sending emails, and uploading files, making it a particularly important metric for anyone who works from home.
The higher the upload speed, the faster your data can move, and the faster your internet feels. Slow upload speeds can make your communication feel laggy and delayed.
On the other end, download speed is the speed that data travels from the internet to your device and is the measurement that is often referenced when discussing broadband speeds at large.
A combination of efficient upload and download speed is necessary for optimal conditions when working from home.
Upload speed measures how quickly your connected device can send data to the internet and is measured in megabits per second (Mbps).
Upload speed is typically referenced when talking about video calls, sending emails, and uploading files, making it a particularly important metric for anyone who works from home.
The higher the upload speed, the faster your data can move, and the faster your internet feels. Slow upload speeds can make your communication feel laggy and delayed.
On the other end, download speed is the speed that data travels from the internet to your device and is the measurement that is often referenced when discussing broadband speeds at large.
A combination of efficient upload and download speed is necessary for optimal conditions when working from home.
Why does upload speed matter for everyday use?
Communicating seamlessly online with clients and colleagues is especially important when you work from home. Video calls and chat messages rely on upload speed, which is why it matters for everyday use, especially for remote workers.
You can avoid interruptions to meetings or delays in messages by ensuring your upload speed is in line with your needs.
You can avoid interruptions to meetings or delays in messages by ensuring your upload speed is in line with your needs.
What is a good upload speed?
Because the internet speed you need depends on how you use it, there is no universally good upload speed.
However, for most basic activities like browsing and sending emails, 10 Mbps is typically more than enough to support you. But if you regularly make HD video calls, share your screen and present online, or connect a lot of devices around the home at once, you’ll need a faster upload speed.
Speed is shared between all your connected devices, so having the bare minimum required for each individual action probably won’t be able to support your entire connected ecosystem. If you regularly work from home, you’ll need an upload speed of at least 25 Mbps.
Not sure of your current upload speed? A broadband speed test can help you understand your current upload speed and whether you need to optimise your home network or upgrade your broadband package to improve WiFi performance and change upload speeds.
However, for most basic activities like browsing and sending emails, 10 Mbps is typically more than enough to support you. But if you regularly make HD video calls, share your screen and present online, or connect a lot of devices around the home at once, you’ll need a faster upload speed.
Speed is shared between all your connected devices, so having the bare minimum required for each individual action probably won’t be able to support your entire connected ecosystem. If you regularly work from home, you’ll need an upload speed of at least 25 Mbps.
Not sure of your current upload speed? A broadband speed test can help you understand your current upload speed and whether you need to optimise your home network or upgrade your broadband package to improve WiFi performance and change upload speeds.
What affects your upload speed?
There are several factors that can impact your upload speed and make your connection feel slow.
- Broadband type: Usually, the faster the speed of your broadband package, the faster your potential upload speed. Since Full Fibre broadband currently offers some of the fastest available speeds, you're likely to experience stronger upload performance with a Full Fibre connection. However, if you don’t have Full Fibre, that doesn’t automatically mean your upload speed will be slow.
- Network congestion: Across networks, there are peak times when lots of users are connected to the internet at once. This can create network congestion and make your uploads lag or feel delayed. This has nothing to do with your individual broadband package but can mimic the effects of slow internet speeds.
- Router quality and WiFi setup: Older routers with less processing power created for an outdated WiFi standard will have a difficult time keeping up with modern broadband offerings. Even if your package promises a fast upload speed, an old router may not be able to handle that speed, thus making your upload speed feel slower than it should be. Other things like router placement, distance from the router, and interference can also make your upload speed feel slow even though your speed is fast on paper.
- Number of connected devices: Your home internet speed and capacity are shared amongst all your devices. If you have smart TVs, computers, tablets, gaming consoles, and smart home devices or appliances all connected at once, your upload speed will feel slower across all those devices.
- Broadband type: Usually, the faster the speed of your broadband package, the faster your potential upload speed. Since Full Fibre broadband currently offers some of the fastest available speeds, you're likely to experience stronger upload performance with a Full Fibre connection. However, if you don’t have Full Fibre, that doesn’t automatically mean your upload speed will be slow.
- Network congestion: Across networks, there are peak times when lots of users are connected to the internet at once. This can create network congestion and make your uploads lag or feel delayed. This has nothing to do with your individual broadband package but can mimic the effects of slow internet speeds.
- Router quality and WiFi setup: Older routers with less processing power created for an outdated WiFi standard will have a difficult time keeping up with modern broadband offerings. Even if your package promises a fast upload speed, an old router may not be able to handle that speed, thus making your upload speed feel slower than it should be. Other things like router placement, distance from the router, and interference can also make your upload speed feel slow even though your speed is fast on paper.
- Number of connected devices: Your home internet speed and capacity are shared amongst all your devices. If you have smart TVs, computers, tablets, gaming consoles, and smart home devices or appliances all connected at once, your upload speed will feel slower across all those devices.
How to improve upload speed
To help improve your upload speed without completely overhauling your home broadband setup, there are a few easy tips and tricks you can try to keep things moving.
- Move closer to your router
- Optimise your WiFi setup and placement
- Use an Ethernet connection
- Limit background apps, uploads, and unnecessary connected devices
- Upgrade your router or other hardware to a newer model
- Switch to a faster broadband connection, like Full Fibre
- Move closer to your router
- Optimise your WiFi setup and placement
- Use an Ethernet connection
- Limit background apps, uploads, and unnecessary connected devices
- Upgrade your router or other hardware to a newer model
- Switch to a faster broadband connection, like Full Fibre
Upload vs download speed: What’s more important
Often when people talk about their WiFi speed, they’re talking about download speeds. When you’re streaming, gaming, or downloading any other information to your devices, download speed is the most relevant metric.
But, with the introduction of more remote and hybrid roles, upload speed has become an increasingly important factor in the discussion around what kind of broadband speed and connection you need to support your household.
Since upload speed determines much of how you communicate online, it’s necessary to keep both upload and download speed in mind when choosing your home WiFi setup, especially if you work from home.
If you’ve tried all these troubleshooting tips and are still struggling with slow uploads, it might be time to upgrade your broadband package.
Sky’s Full Fibre Broadband offers speeds up to 5Gbps depending on where you live to support all your remote working needs. Switch to Sky for your home office and work from home with ease.
But, with the introduction of more remote and hybrid roles, upload speed has become an increasingly important factor in the discussion around what kind of broadband speed and connection you need to support your household.
Since upload speed determines much of how you communicate online, it’s necessary to keep both upload and download speed in mind when choosing your home WiFi setup, especially if you work from home.
If you’ve tried all these troubleshooting tips and are still struggling with slow uploads, it might be time to upgrade your broadband package.
Sky’s Full Fibre Broadband offers speeds up to 5Gbps depending on where you live to support all your remote working needs. Switch to Sky for your home office and work from home with ease.