While comparing Internet services, you may have encountered terms like "download speed" and "upload speed" without knowing the difference between the two. This page will give a brief explanation of what these terms mean.
Download speed is how quickly your connection can receive data from Internet services. It's used when:
Upload speed is how quickly your connection can send data to Internet services. It's used when:
Asymmetrical services have unequal upload and download rates, and usually provide more download speed and than upload. Plans of this type are the most commonly provisioned for residential clients. This arrangement lowers costs while accommodating most users' needs since almost all residential Internet traffic consists of downloading instead of uploading.
Most users prioritize how quickly their connection can receive data, so, to reduce confusion, many Internet service providers only list their plans' download speeds for asymmetrical connections.
Symmetrical services have the same upload and download rate. Plans of this type are usually provisioned for businesses which have special technical requirements. These clients may need to transfer large amounts of data to off-site servers or provide hosting for websites or other Internet services.
Occasionally, symmetrical services are also offered to residential clients. While high upload rates are not usually useful to most users, they can provide plenty of capacity for devices like security cameras or cloud backup transfers.