Signal Fall 2020 Newsletter

www.alliancecom.net 3 Y our internet speed is one of the most important factors in your overall online experience. But it can be confusing to figure out how much speed you need for your specific activi- ties. Review the basics below to get started. How is Internet Speed Measured? Measured in Megabits per second (Mbps), your internet speed is the amount of data that can be transferred every second over your internet connection. Your speed determines the type of activities that you can do online and how quickly you can do them. A connection speed of 5 Mbps, for example, allows you to browse web pages easily. However, it’s not fast enough for you to stream HD videos on Netflix. Your video would be poor quality and would likely stutter or pause altogether. On the other hand, a speed of 500 Mbps is blazing fast and allows you to do almost anything, including letting multiple family members stream 4K video simultaneously. Download Versus Upload Speeds When you’re choosing an internet package, there are two speeds you need to consider: the download speed and the upload speed. Alliance’s internet packages are symmetrical, which means the download speed is just as fast as the upload speed. The download speed is the speed at which data travels from a remote location on the internet to your internet-connected device. For example, if you are watching a video on YouTube, the download speed is the rate at which the information in the video stream travels from the YouTube server to your computer or phone. Most online activities—like web surfing, video streaming, and application downloads—involve downloading a lot of data. And for certain activities, like online gaming and video streaming, the faster you can download data, the better. The upload speed is the speed at which data travels from your connected device to a remote location on the internet. For exam- ple, if you post a video or a photo onto a social media site like Facebook, the upload speed is the rate at which the information travels from your device to the Facebook server. Fast upload speeds may be important for you, depending on the type of activities you plan to do online. For example, an amateur photographer who regularly uploads high-resolution photos to a photo sharing site may want a faster upload speed. Upgrade Now for Only $10 More Alliance recently made it easier for you to enjoy an internet package that fits your lifestyle. We lowered the prices of our fastest internet speeds. Now you can upgrade your internet speed for only $10 more per month. Not sure how much speed you need? Use the online tool at alliancecom.net/up-to-speed to help you decide. HowMuch Internet Speed DoYou Need? It depends on your online activities