Editing Internet access (section)

===Speed===
{{Main|Data signaling rate|Bit rate|Bandwidth (computing)|List of interface bit rates|List of countries by Internet connection speeds}}
{{see also|Data-rate units}}
The bit rates for dial-up [[modems]] range from as little as 110 bit/s in the late 1950s, to a maximum of from 33 to 64&nbsp;kbit/s ([[ITU-T V.90|V.90]] and [[ITU-T V.92|V.92]]) in the late 1990s. Dial-up connections generally require the dedicated use of a telephone line. Data compression can boost the effective bit rate for a dial-up modem connection from 220 ([[ITU-T V.42bis|V.42bis]]) to 320 ([[ITU-T V.44|V.44]])&nbsp;kbit/s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fndcg0.fnal.gov/Net/modm8-94.txt |title=What You Need to Know about Modems |access-date=2008-03-02 |last=Willdig |first=Karl |author2=Patrik Chen |date=August 1994 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070104124418/http://fndcg0.fnal.gov/Net/modm8-94.txt |archive-date=2007-01-04 }}</ref> However, the effectiveness of data compression is quite variable, depending on the type of data being sent, the condition of the telephone line, and a number of other factors. In reality, the overall data rate rarely exceeds 150&nbsp;kbit/s.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pricenfees.com/digit-life-archives/modem-compression-v-44-v-42bis |title=Modem compression: V.44 against V.42bis |access-date=2008-03-02 |last=Mitronov |first=Pavel |date=2001-06-29 |publisher=Pricenfees.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202062749/https://www.pricenfees.com/digit-life-archives/modem-compression-v-44-v-42bis |archive-date=2017-02-02 }}</ref>

Broadband technologies supply considerably higher bit rates than dial-up, generally without disrupting regular telephone use. Various minimum data rates and maximum latencies have been used in definitions of broadband, ranging from 64&nbsp;kbit/s up to 4.0&nbsp;Mbit/s.<ref name="Birth">{{cite web |url=http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/publications/birthofbroadband/faq.html |title=Birth of Broadband |publisher=ITU |date=September 2003 |access-date=July 12, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110701173257/http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/publications/birthofbroadband/faq.html |archive-date=July 1, 2011 }}</ref> In 1988 the [[ITU-T|CCITT]] standards body defined "broadband service" as requiring transmission channels capable of supporting [[bit rate]]s greater than the [[Primary Rate Interface|primary rate]] which ranged from about 1.5 to 2&nbsp;Mbit/s.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.itu.int/rec/dologin_pub.asp?lang=e&id=T-REC-I.113-199706-I!!PDF-E |title= Recommendation I.113, Vocabulary of Terms for Broadband aspects of ISDN |publisher= ITU-T |date= June 1997 |orig-year= originally 1988 |access-date= 19 July 2011 |url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121106141554/http://www.itu.int/rec/dologin_pub.asp?lang=e&id=T-REC-I.113-199706-I!!PDF-E |archive-date= 6 November 2012 }}</ref> A 2006 [[Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development]] (OECD) report defined broadband as having download [[data transfer rates]] equal to or faster than 256&nbsp;kbit/s.<ref name="OECD">{{cite web |url=http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/broadband.html |title=2006 OECD Broadband Statistics to December 2006 |publisher=OECD |access-date=June 6, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090507202240/http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/broadband.html |archive-date=2009-05-07 }}</ref> And in 2015 the U.S. [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) defined "Basic Broadband" as data transmission speeds of at least 25&nbsp;Mbit/s downstream (from the Internet to the user's [[computer]]) and 3&nbsp;Mbit/s upstream (from the user's computer to the Internet).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-331760A1.pdf |title=FCC Finds U.S. Broadband Deployment Not Keeping Pace |publisher=FCC |access-date=January 29, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150419074040/https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-331760A1.pdf |archive-date=April 19, 2015 }}</ref> The trend is to raise the threshold of the broadband definition as higher data rate services become available.<ref name="engadget08">{{cite web |first=Nilay |last=Patel |url=https://www.engadget.com/2008/03/19/fcc-redefines-broadband-to-mean-768kbps-fast-to-mean-kinda/ |title=FCC redefines "broadband" to mean 768&nbsp;kbit/s, "fast" to mean "kinda slow" |publisher=Engadget |date=March 19, 2008 |access-date=June 6, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090213175111/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/19/fcc-redefines-broadband-to-mean-768kbps-fast-to-mean-kinda |archive-date=February 13, 2009 }}</ref>

The higher data rate dial-up modems and many broadband services are "asymmetric"—supporting much higher data rates for download (toward the user) than for upload (toward the Internet).

Data rates, including those given in this article, are usually defined and advertised in terms of the maximum or peak download rate. In practice, these maximum data rates are not always reliably available to the customer.<ref name="100mb"/> Actual end-to-end data rates can be lower due to a number of factors.<ref>{{cite news |author= Tom Phillips |title= 'Misleading' BT broadband ad banned |work= UK Metro |date= August 25, 2010 |url= http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/839014-misleading-bt-broadband-ad-banned |access-date= July 24, 2011 |url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110906220840/http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/839014-misleading-bt-broadband-ad-banned |archive-date= September 6, 2011 }}</ref> In late June 2016, internet connection speeds averaged about 6&nbsp;Mbit/s globally.<ref>{{cite news |author=Ben Munson |title=Akamai: Global average internet speeds have doubled since last Olympics |work=FierceOnlineVideo |date=June 29, 2016 |url=http://www.fierceonlinevideo.com/story/akamai-global-average-internet-speeds-have-doubled-last-olympics/2016-06-29 |access-date=June 30, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160702073650/http://www.fierceonlinevideo.com/story/akamai-global-average-internet-speeds-have-doubled-last-olympics/2016-06-29 |archive-date=July 2, 2016 }}</ref> Physical link quality can vary with distance and for wireless access with terrain, weather, building construction, antenna placement, and interference from other radio sources. Network bottlenecks may exist at points anywhere on the path from the end-user to the remote server or service being used and not just on the first or last link providing Internet access to the end-user.