Measurements

A bit is the smallest unit of data measurement. Eight bits equal a byte and a thousand bytes is the same as a megabyte. A thousand bits equals a megabit, which is about 13 percent of a megabyte. At the time of publication, Mbps is the most common method used to indicate how quickly an Internet service provider’s network downloads data from the Web to your computer. Data transfer rates vary by provider and connection type and can be affected by certain networking conditions.

Types of Connections

At the time of publication, DSL, cable and fiber optic Internet connections are available to residential and commercial customers. DSL connections are capable of transferring data at up to 15 Mbps, but typically produce rates more in the 5 to 7 Mbps range. Cable connections, on the other hand, are capable of transferring data at up to 105 Mbps, but average more in the 10 to 20 Mbps range. Fiber optic cable connections are capable of speeds of up to 150 Mbps, but in real-life applications, average 10 to 15 Mbps. Internet packages that offer rates of 12 and 16 Mbps are likely high-end DSL or low-end cable connections.

Conditions

Several conditions affect an Internet service package’s data transfer rates, including network traffic and your wireless router. Most wireless routers are capable of providing Internet connection for up to five computing devices at a time. However, as the number of devices using this connection increases, the data transfer speeds decrease. This means that if you have a 12 or 16 Mbps package, you will experience slower speeds as the amount of connected devices increases. Your package’s transfer rate is a direct reflection of the amount of bandwidth available to your specific connection; adding many devices to a single connection will reduce the speed of each device.

Examples

When 12 and 16 Mbps Internet packages are compared, there’s likely little noticeable difference between the two when it comes to downloading data from the Web. For instance, a 25MB application downloaded at 12 Mbps will take approximately 15 seconds to download, while the same file will take 12 seconds to download the same file. These examples are possible during optimal connection performance and will likely vary once they are put to real-life tests.