Why Are Upload Speeds Important for Your Business?

People and businesses are producing, sharing, storing, and streaming more content than ever. Cisco forecasts that by the end of 2018, annual global data centre IP traffic is set to reach 8.6 zettabytes and 78% of workloads will be processed by data centres dedicated to cloud applications. With the increased production and distribution of content, and the growing use of cloud applications and services, higher upload speeds are becoming more and more of a necessity.

What’s more, the Internet of Things (IoT) – which enables devices to communicate and interconnect with one another through the cloud and over the Internet – will place an even greater need on having high data transfer rates in each direction. Cisco predicts that the data created by these devices will reach 403 zettabytes per year by 2018.

With this growing data usage in mind, let’s take a look at a few specific scenarios that illustrate the importance of upload speeds in your business:

Communicating with others in real-time

Having a reliable connection with sufficient bandwidth on both ends is essential for virtual communication with clients, partners or colleagues. For example, you might be using a video or web conference setup to communicate remotely. The rate to send 720p high-definition video using a video conferencing system like WebEx can actually be higher than it is to receive, at 3 Mbps versus 2.5 Mbps. To ensure effective and efficient communication with a high quality video stream, you’ll need to have the bandwidth to support it.

Backing up data

Businesses are using the cloud to back up important files and applications. A 2014 Report on the State of Data Backup for SMBs found that, while businesses are still using external hard drives and other devices for backup, the “majority” have embraced the cloud for offsite backup. For a business like a production studio that deals with large audio or video files, or a legal or financial firm that’s required to back up of all of their sensitive information, this can add up to terabytes worth of data. Having fast download and upload speeds can mean the difference between completing a backup in a few minutes instead of a few hours, and helps to avoid interruptions due to the network being overloaded.

Exchanging information

Many businesses need to exchange large files and documents as part of their day to day activities, with people in or outside the office. With fast upload and download speeds, a graphic design company, for example, can quickly exchange massive print files with vendors, clients or coworkers using a cloud-based service like OneDrive or SharePoint.

Enabling remote video security monitoring

If a business’ security cameras, such as at a construction job site or retail store, are capturing and displaying live security feeds for remote monitoring, quick upload speeds will help capture smooth footage and fast download speeds will ensure that the video can be live streamed without buffering or interruption. According to Cisco, a single low quality video feed at 30 fps requires 1 Mbps of bandwidth for each viewer, and that can quickly add up with more video cameras, viewers or higher quality feeds.

Speeding up retail transactions

Having ample upload speed can benefit retailers that rely on point-of-sale (POS) systems to send payment data over the Internet. After Nordstrom implemented a mobile POS system in its stores which connected via Wi-Fi, customers were able to check out from anywhere in the store for a more convenient, faster experience. As a result, the retailer reported seeing a rise in both the average number of items sold as well as the average selling price.

Sharing content online

Many businesses deal with uploading bandwidth-intensive media to the web, whether that’s publishing videos to feature on their websites and social media accounts, or streaming live events. Fast upload and download speeds will ensure the process runs smoothly on both sides of the fence – both for when you want to view content that others have published and when you need to upload it for your business.

Improving Wi-Fi in the office

Workers may connect mostly via Ethernet cables, but you also want a reliable Wi-Fi network in the office so employees can connect their laptops and tablets when away from their desks – such as in a conference room during a meeting. 

The bottom line

It’s important to ensure that you are taking upload speeds into account when considering your business connectivity needs. Investing in upload speeds as well as download speeds has benefits that can be felt across many industries and scenarios. Fibre Internet services for business, such as those offered by Bell, can provide high upload speeds so that your business applications and communications perform at their best.

Have you found other requirements for fast upload speeds in your business? Let us know in the comments, below.