Having the fastest internet speeds depends on where you live and what kind of internet service provider is available in your area. But generally, the fastest internet speeds are the ones that provide a consistent internet connection for your online activities on all your connected devices. Your streaming TV doesn’t buffer a lot, your multiplayer game doesn’t lag, and your emails are sent without you having to constantly refresh and send again. A fast internet speed is capable of meeting these demands, but there are also other factors like availability of the internet connection type and internet service provider. These will be explored in this guide.
Types Of Internet Connection
To get an idea about what makes an internet speed fast, you need to understand what kind of internet connection is being offered. Those include:
- Fiber internet is currently the fastest internet connection that has been around in recent years, offering speeds up to 2000 Mbps or higher. The fiber connection type uses fiber-optic lines, that are bundled together, to transmit data in the form of light signals quickly over long distances. This quality makes them more durable than other connection types.
- As the name suggests, cable internet is provided through cable television wiring outside your home. Cable connection types use coaxial cables and electrical signals to send and receive data. The cable internet connection can reach gigabit speeds, but it still has limited bandwidth than fiber.
- DSL or Digital Subscriber Line uses phone lines for internet connection, making it a much faster option than a dial-up connection. DSL is less reliable than fiber and cable internet connection, and the top speeds that are provided by DSL are up to 100 Mbps only.
Keep in mind that there are many factors that make an internet connection faster. Sending an email doesn’t take up a lot of Mbps as does playing an online multiplayer game. For sending an email, you need around 1-5 Mbps, but with online multiplayer games, you need 50 Mbps or higher.
Fastest Internet Providers 2022
Following are some of the fastest Internet Providers in the US.
- Google Fiber offers the fastest gigabit plan with internet speeds up to 2 Gbps or more (1000 Mbps = 1 Gbps). The highest download speed provided by Google Fiber goes up to 2 Gbps or more, and the highest upload speeds go up to 1 Gbps, which is something that most ISPs don’t consider. 1 Gbps is more than enough for a single household with multiple devices of learners, online gamers, and remote workers.
- AT&T is the best multi-gigabit internet provider offering the lowest cost per Mbps. It delivers maximum download and upload speeds in gigabit, the same as Google Fiber. AT&T boasts exceptional availability and speeds and is available to millions of American internet users across 21 states.
- Comcast Xfinity is the fastest internet provider for cable internet connection. Their Comcast Internet deals contain plans for different internet speeds that you can opt for. Xfinity Internet also offers gigabit plans in some areas around the US, though its cable internet connection is the most widely available.
- In the US, the fastest DSL internet connection is being provided by Verizon Fios, with their average latency recorded up to 20 ms. This is enough to fulfill your online needs such as browsing social media, sending emails, streaming movies and music, etc. The internet connection speeds of Verizon are pretty impressive for a DSL connection, usually topping out at 100 Mbps. Apart from DSL internet connection, Verizon also offers gigabit internet speeds in some regions around the US, if you prefer going fiber.
Conclusion
Keeping in mind all the above information about the fastest internet speeds available for different internet connection types, this is what has been narrowed down:
- Google Fiber is the fastest internet provider offering fiber internet connections.
- Xfinity is the fastest cable internet provider.
- Finally, Verizon is the fastest at providing DSL connection types.
Again, the kind of internet connection you require also depends on location and its availability and the availability of internet providers in your area. There are many factors to take into consideration if you are opting for the fastest internet speeds.
