Do you feel the need for speed?

Have you ever checked your internet speed? Occasionally, everyone should check their internet speed to confirm they're actually getting the speed they're paying for. There are several speed tests that will clock your download & upload speed. The download speed will be the most important test, since 95% of the time you're surfing the internet, viewing videos or downloading files and images. You would only use the upload speed when you're uploading a file to a forum or sending an email with an attachment.

Do you feel the need for speed? Check out your internet speed by clicking on one of the links below. Check your speed multiple times as your speed will vary based on the time of day.

http://speakeasy.net/speedtest/

http://www.bandwidthplace.com/

Below are the speed test results from a few of the Minutes Matter team:

• Minutes Matter Office ~ Comcast Business Class Internet 22Mbps ($99 per month) our download speed ranges between 16 - 24 Mbps. (see screenshot above)
  
• Anna, Studio's Tech Support ~ Comcast personal ($52 per month) her download speed ranges between 9 - 12 Mbps.
• Vickie, QuickBooks Tech Support ~ Hughes Network (she lives in a rural area and paid one upfront fee) her download speed ranges between 5.79 - 5.82 Mbps.
• Merlyn, Studio's Coach ~ Comcast personal ($55 per month) her download speed ranges between 15 - 32 Mbps. (Merlyn, you're kicking with that 32 Mbps)
  

Do you have to wait several seconds for a website to load or 15 - 30 minutes to download a software program like Studio? If so, you're experiencing a slower internet connection. The normal time to download our Studio software should be 2 - 7 minutes. More than likely your IP (internet provider) offers multiple speed levels of course a higher price tag comes with the higher speed. Contact your IP and find out if you're actually receiving the speed you're paying for. If you're paying for the lowest speed you might consider increasing your speed to the next level. In this day and time none of us like to wait. We all want instant results. Today, so much of our design research is done on the internet; business owners need a fast connection to reduce wait times. DSL connections are typically a little slower than cable speeds. Mobile Broadbands or Aircards are slower than DSL with speeds ranging from 1 - 3 Mbps. Hardwiring your computer to your router will increase your internet speed. The further away your laptop is from your router the slower the connection. When possible, try to download large files and watch videos when you're hardwired.