The same is true for content creators and streamers, who either want to ensure they can upload multi-gigabyte videos in a timely fashion or stream at a fidelity and frame rate that makes the viewing experience better for viewers. That said, if you like sharing your entertainment from a media server like Plex while you’re out and about, or want to use services like Parsec to digitally replicate couch gaming, a fast and consistent upload speed is critical for the other side of those connections. There are exceptions, though.īecause most online games use very little data in comparison to, say, streaming movies on Netflix or TV shows on Stan, download and upload bandwidth can be quite low for a comparable experience where, ultimately, latency (or ‘ping’ as it’s erroneously called) matters more. Whether you’re surfing, streaming, or downloading, your download bandwidth absolutely matters more than upload. This emphasis on download over upload perpetuates the belief that download is more important than upload.įor the most part, that perpetuation is true: download is more critical to regular internet usage than upload. It’s particularly telling that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) only deigns it necessary for providers to advertise their typical evening download speeds and not their upload speeds.
