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Versioned activity requirements

Good download and upload speeds by activity

Use these values as transparent planning inputs—not universal promises. Each row says whether it is sourced from a first-party service requirement or is an editorial composite, and the same release is available as JSON and CSV.

Dataset 2026.07.24 · checked 2026-07-24No app requiredBrowser-based speed test
One source of truth across the site
Evidence basis on every row
JSON and CSV distributions

Quick next step

Test your connection first

Run SwiftSpeedTest, save the download, upload, ping, and jitter numbers, then use this guide to see what they mean and what to fix next.

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On this page

Activity tableHow to combine rowsEvidence and sourcesLimitations
Published by Swift Speed Test. See our testing method, sourcing standards, limitations, and corrections policy.

Release 2026.07.24

Activity planning table

Values are per active session. They are intentionally rounded for planning. Service modes, quality settings, codecs, devices, and routes can change actual use.

ActivityDownloadUploadPing targetJitter targetEvidence basis

Web browsing and email

Per active user; large attachments need more upload capacity.

5 Mbps1 Mbps≤ 150 ms≤ 40 ms

Editorial planning baseline for an active browser and email session.

Editorial composite; no single vendor minimum.

HD video stream

Per simultaneous 1080p stream across common adaptive services.

8 Mbps1 Mbps≤ 100 ms≤ 30 ms

Editorial planning baseline informed by official service recommendations.

  • Netflix

4K video stream

Per simultaneous 4K stream; some services adapt below this.

25 Mbps1 Mbps≤ 100 ms≤ 30 ms

Conservative editorial planning baseline informed by official service recommendations.

  • Netflix

HD video call

Per active camera; stability matters more than excess download speed.

4 Mbps4 Mbps≤ 100 ms≤ 30 ms

Rounded planning baseline informed by official 1080p video-call requirements.

  • Zoom

Remote work session (excluding video calls)

Covers cloud apps, messaging, and normal file transfers; add video calls separately.

10 Mbps3 Mbps≤ 100 ms≤ 30 ms

Editorial composite for concurrent work applications, not a vendor minimum.

Editorial composite; no single vendor minimum.

Online gaming

Game downloads need far more throughput; live play prioritizes latency.

10 Mbps3 Mbps≤ 50 ms≤ 15 ms

Editorial gameplay baseline; title, platform, and route conditions vary.

Editorial composite; no single vendor minimum.

1080p livestream upload

Per active 1080p broadcast, including encoder and audio traffic.

10 Mbps10 Mbps≤ 80 ms≤ 20 ms

Conservative editorial baseline informed by official broadcast bitrate guidance.

  • Twitch

Cloud backup or large upload

Higher upload speed shortens completion time; latency is less critical.

10 Mbps25 Mbps≤ 150 ms≤ 40 ms

Editorial target chosen for practical completion time rather than a service minimum.

Editorial composite; no single vendor minimum.

Calculation method

Combine only activities that can overlap

  1. 1. Count active sessions. Two simultaneous HD calls count twice; ten idle devices do not automatically count as ten active sessions.
  2. 2. Add download and upload separately. The constrained direction may be upload even when the plan advertises a large download number.
  3. 3. Apply planning headroom. The linked calculator adds 25% to the capacity totals. That is an editorial allowance, not a vendor requirement or guarantee.
  4. 4. Use the strictest responsiveness target. If a workload includes a real-time activity, its latency and jitter planning targets remain relevant even when file transfers need more Mbps.
  5. 5. Validate the real application.Compare with the service's current requirements and in-app diagnostics, then repeat the browser test under the actual household load.

Evidence register

Visible sources and reusable data

Retrieved 2026-07-24

2024 Section 706 Report broadband benchmark

Household-level context: the FCC raised its fixed broadband benchmark to 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload.

Federal Communications Commission source

Retrieved 2026-07-24

Netflix-recommended internet speeds

Service baseline: 5 Mbps for 1080p and 15 Mbps for 4K UHD on Netflix.

Netflix source

Retrieved 2026-07-24

Zoom Web App system and bandwidth requirements

Service baseline: Zoom lists 3.8 Mbps upload and 3.0 Mbps download for 1080p HD video.

Zoom source

Retrieved 2026-07-24

Broadcasting Guidelines

Service baseline: Twitch lists a 6,000 Kbps video bitrate for 1080p60 and emphasizes connection stability.

Twitch source
Immutable JSON releaseLatest JSONCSV

What this table does not prove

  • A plan meeting the total does not guarantee Wi-Fi coverage, provider routing, application-server health, or low loaded latency.
  • Ping and jitter targets are editorial diagnostics for planning; they are not universal pass/fail rules for every game or call.
  • A browser test measures one device-to-endpoint path. Repeat under controlled conditions and confirm with the application itself.
  • Requirements can change. The release date and source retrieval dates make the assumptions auditable instead of timeless.

Read the SwiftSpeedTest methodology for measurement scope, confidence, and privacy.

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about this topic

Is there one good internet speed for every household?
No. Add the requirements of activities that can happen at the same time, then allow planning headroom. Device limits, Wi-Fi conditions, service settings, and provider routing still affect the result.
Are these values vendor minimums?
Some rows are rounded planning values informed by first-party service requirements; others are explicitly editorial composites. The evidence-basis and source columns identify which is which.
Why include ping and jitter with Mbps?
Download and upload describe transfer capacity. Ping and jitter describe responsiveness and stability, which can matter more for calls, games, and remote interaction.

Related guides

Keep going with the next best page

Household requirements calculator

Combine simultaneous activities and apply the same versioned assumptions.

Understand every result metric

Read capacity, idle and loaded latency, jitter, and probe outcomes together.

Run a controlled speed test

Create a repeatable baseline before comparing an activity target.

Speed benchmarks topic cluster

More speed-test benchmarks and explainers

Continue with the most relevant explainers from this topic.

  • Internet connection diagnostic reportRun a full browser measurement and export a privacy-safe support report with loaded response, confidence signals, next steps, and a controlled retest protocol.
  • Internet speed vs advertised speed testCompare the median of eligible measured runs with your advertised plan and Broadband Consumer Label, then export an evidence-aware support summary.
  • Internet speed test history and trackerMonitor up to 100 private local results with trend charts, medians, p10-p90 spread, time-of-day summaries, filters, and portable exports.

Measure first, then calculate the simultaneous workload

Save a controlled result, then use the linked requirements calculator to combine the streams, calls, games, work sessions, and uploads that can overlap.

Run a controlled speed testBrowse more guides

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