Internet speed explained

Learn about our Speed Test and get tips on streaming video settings

"Internet speed
" refers to how quickly information can be transmitted back and forth from the Internet to your computer. Internet speeds are measured in Mbps (Megabits per second).

Download speed is how quickly information is transmitted from the Internet to your computer. When it comes to reading, playing games, viewing video and listening to streaming music on the web, this is the key number
Upload speed is how quickly you can send information from your computer to the Internet
Ping is the reaction time of your connection. A fast ping means a more responsive connection, ideal for video gaming. A ping response under 50ms is considered acceptable

Watch a video on how to improve slow internet at certain times

What can affect your Internet speed

Many factors influence the actual Internet speed you experience at any given time, including:  

The speed of the website from which you're downloading information
The number of people trying to download the same information as you from the same website
The number of applications or programmes you are running on your computer
The age and condition of wiring inside your home or apartment
The distance between the TELUS high speed gateway and your device
Whether you’re connected to your gateway directly or wirelessly
Your computer’s age

The TELUS Speed Test

If you want to know if your TELUS connection speed is within acceptable limits please use our speed test tool
.

Consider the following if your test results aren't as expected:

If you ran a wireless test and the results don't meet your plan's minimum speed, reboot your TELUS wireless gateway and try again while connected to an ethernet cable
If you are already wired in and your speeds still seem slow on the test compared to your plan, reboot your gateway and try the test again
If you experience poor speeds only while wirelessly connected or while using your smartphone or tablet, your wireless signal may be degraded. See
Understanding wireless performance & signal strength
.
Note
: Some older smartphones/devices may not be able to take full advantage of the wireless speed your TELUS gateway has to offer.
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