The quality of Internet browsing depends on various factors

Last updated: 17/11/2023

The quality of Internet browsing generally depends on several factors:

• •• The number of simultaneous users connected through the same Internet connection.
• •• The data intensity of the services or applications being accessed (e.g., streaming a high-quality video is far more data-intensive than sending an email).
• •• The fluidity of information transfer between the user and the server hosting the content or service being accessed. It should be noted that the server may be located within the same country as the user, or even on a different continent.

In all three aspects, upload and download speeds play a fundamental role. The higher the speed, the less the browsing quality will be affected by the number of simultaneous users and the data requirements of different services or content.

Regarding the fluidity of communication between the user and the server, it is essential that there is no large disparity between upload and download speeds. Symmetry between the two is a determining factor for quality.

The trend in connectivity points toward an increasing diversity and number of devices connected simultaneously, combined with applications and services that are ever more data-intensive. This calls for high and symmetric speeds to ensure quality browsing and access to more sophisticated and complex services and content.

Symmetry in high-speed fixed Internet connections

Upload and download speeds

Source: Own calculations based on Speedtest Global Index, Ookla, 2021–2023.

Symmetry in high-speed mobile Internet connections

Upload and download speeds

Source: Own calculations based on Speedtest Global Index, Ookla, 2021–2023.