Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

How fast is broadband?

Broadband speeds will vary depending upon the Internet service provider and the broadband package that a user selects. Speed of connection is normally measured in megabits per second (Mbps); slower connections are measured using kilobits (1/1,000th of a megabit) per second (Kbps).

The term “broadband” commonly refers to high-speed Internet access that is always on and faster than traditional dial-up access. Broadband includes several high-speed transmission technologies, such as fiber, wireless, satellite, digital subscriber line and cable. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) broadband capability requires consumers to have access to actual download speeds of at least 25 Mbps and actual upload speeds of at least 3 Mbps. See the BroadbandUSA Glossary.