The different fibre line speeds explained
We know the choice of which Fibre line speed is best for your home and family can seem complicated with so many different options available. Read on for our recommendations, advice and some answers to the most frequently asked customers received.
The speed at which data moves along a Fibre line is measured in Megabits per second (Mbps). The higher the number of Mbps, the faster the data is transmitted and received. Higher than Megabits per second (Mbps) are Gigabits per second (Gbps), which are the fastest speeds you can get. These start back at 1 again.
Download speeds refer to the speeds at which you are able to download data EG: Streaming the latest movies and series, while upload speeds refer to speeds when you are upload (send out) data EG: Creating and loading your own video
Upload and download speeds are presented in different ways including the following:
A higher upload speed is important if you are actively creating your own content and posting it on platforms like YouTube or your own website, or making online video calls, or if you play streaming games online and use cloud storage. For the majority of users, we’d recommend a faster download speed as it is more commonly used to get data onto a device when making your decision.
Synchronous products are those where the upload and download speeds are the same. For example a 25Mbps/ 25Mbps product. An Asynchronous product has a different upload and download speed. For example, a 25Mbps/ 10Mbps product. Remember the download speed is always first.
WiFi speeds are dependent on your connection between your router and WiFi enabled device. In most cases either one or both are only able to transmit more than 50Mbps. We recommend you check if your router and mobile device is capable of achieving higher than 100Mbps line speeds.
Consider what activities you are doing online and how many people and devices are connected at the same time. The higher the number of online activities and greater the number of people connecting, the faster the download speed you should choose. Mweb Fibre offers a range of speeds depending on the Fibre Network Operator, from the entry-level 25Mbps to the popular 50Mbps and all the way to the lightning-fast speed of 1Gbps.
20 – 30Mbps | 35Mbps to 50Mbps | 100Mbps to 200Mbps | 500Mbps to 1GBps | |
Connected devices | 2 - 3 | 4 - 6 | 7 - 12 | More than 12 |
4K video streaming | 1 Device | 2 Devices | 5 Devices | More than 5 Devices |
HD video streaming | 2 Devices | Up to 4 Devices | 10 Devices | More than 10 Devices |
Online gaming | Yes | Yes Multiple players | Yes Multiple players | Yes Multiple players |
Streaming own gameplay – via Twitch, Facebook or YouTube | 1 Device | 2 Devices | 5 Devices | More than 5 Devices |
Video calls over Zoom, Skye, Teams or WhatsApp | 2 calls at the same time | 4 calls at the same time | 10 calls at the same time | More than 10 calls at the same time |
Studies and schooling | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Emails + browsing only | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |