Utah Internet Speed Test

Utah Internet Speed Test Campaign

The Utah Internet Speed Test Campaign is a statewide initiative for all Utahns to self-report their internet speed at home, work, or wherever they are connected to the internet. The data collected will be mapped and used to invest in resources to improve broadband access across the state. This campaign includes all Utahns, whether you have excellent internet speeds or no access at all.

The results from the Internet Speed Test will help:

Identify areas of Utah where homes and businesses lack high-speed internet connection
Discover which households do not have an internet connection and the reasons why
Direct funds toward providing reliable broadband access throughout the state

Help us identify Utah’s areas with the greatest need for internet speed by taking the Internet Speed Test. It only takes 60 seconds.

The Internet Speed Test is available in English and Spanish. For individuals who do not have access to the internet, please participate by calling 1-435-777-TEST (8378).

Internet Speeds in Utah

View Speed Test Dashboard

Take the Speed Test

What is the purpose of the Utah Internet Speed Test Campaign?

Taking the Utah Internet Speed Test along with completing the short survey will allow you to show state leaders where there is a lack of broadband internet to homes or businesses. This may be because there is no service in your area; perhaps it is too expensive, or maybe you don’t know how to use a computer or even have one. That is what we call the digital divide. With this information, the state can map areas of need and make investments that will eventually give everyone the opportunity to connect to the internet and close the divide.

On the other hand, maybe your broadband is great! We want to hear about it. Great connectivity in our state opens the door to quality education, employment opportunities, and healthy options. Please let us know where Utah is doing well. WE NEED YOU to help us get all of Utah connected.

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Taking the Utah Internet Speed Test along with completing the short survey will allow you to show state leaders where there is a lack of broadband internet to homes or businesses. This may be because there is no service in your area; perhaps it is too expensive, or maybe you don’t know how to use a computer or even have one. That is what we call the digital divide. With this information, the state can map areas of need and make investments that will eventually give everyone the opportunity to connect to the internet and close the divide.

On the other hand, maybe your broadband is great! We want to hear about it. Great connectivity in our state opens the door to quality education, employment opportunities, and healthy options. Please let us know where Utah is doing well. WE NEED YOU to help us get all of Utah connected.

Why do speed tests matter?

- Why is internet speed important?

The speed of your internet connection impacts the things you can do online. When you take a speed test, you will see results for both upload and download speeds. Upload speed refers to the rate at which data is transmitted from your computer to the internet, and download speed refers to the rate at which data is transmitted to your computer. Faster upload speeds make it easier to submit school assignments, complete remote work projects, and join a video call for a telehealth appointment or a family chat. Faster download speeds make it easier to access emails, download large files for school or work, and use video or music streaming services.

- What do my internet speeds mean?

The faster your internet upload and download speeds, the more you can do online. Internet speeds are generally described in tiers.

Low-speed internet is described as anything below 25 megabits per second (Mbps) download and 3 Mbps upload speed (usually shown as 25/3 Mbps). If your speeds fall in this range, you have a limited internet connection and can only use one device at a time. If you access the internet on multiple devices (such as a computer and a cell phone or television), your connection is likely unreliable. Households with internet connections that fall below these speeds qualify as unserved by high-speed internet.

High-speed internet, or broadband, is anything above the 25/3 Mbps threshold. However, the speed of your broadband connection still makes a difference in what you can do. If you have speeds between 25/3 and 100/20 (meaning, 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload speeds), you can usually complete video calls, download big files quickly, and have two to five devices on the internet at the same time. Limited remote work and education activities are possible with these speeds. Internet connections with these speeds are generally more reliable, but there are still occasions where connectivity may be lacking. Households with internet connections that fall below these speeds qualify as underserved by high-speed internet.

If you have speeds above 100/20 Mbps, you can participate in video calls, download very large files very quickly, stream high-definition videos, participate in online games, and connect more than five devices to the internet at the same time. These are the best for remote work, online schooling, and telehealth appointments since they allow full-time access to those resources. Households with internet connections that are at or above these speeds qualify as served by high-speed internet.

- Why are my internet speeds slow?

There are many reasons why your internet speeds may be need to be higher. Various types of technology can connect your home to the internet. Many different types of technologies can connect homes to the internet, from cable lines to satellite connections to fiber optics. Various technologies have different capacities for speeds, so you should check to see what type of technology is being used for your connection. For example, many non-fiber optic technologies have far slower upload speeds than download speeds, which can significantly impact your service level and online experiences. If the technology available does not meet your speed requirements, check with the available internet service providers (ISPs) to determine other options.

If there are no other options or internet service providers in your area, please contact Connecting Utah at connectingutah@utah.gov or 435-264-8880.

Another reason your speed may need to be faster is the age of your internet router or other home internet equipment. As your equipment ages, it may start to have some wear and tear that impacts your internet speeds. If you last updated your equipment several years ago, it may be time to look at replacing your home internet equipment. Additionally, interference from building walls, multiple nearby routers, or other radio devices can limit the speed between your device and your router. If possible, test your internet connection after you’ve plugged into your router with a network cable and disabled your computer’s wifi.

A third reason your speeds may need to be faster is the service available from your internet service provider. Many ISPs offer different service levels, including speeds, for other plans. Your speeds may depend on your plan and the amount you pay for the internet each month. If you do not have the option to select a different plan, or if the available service is too expensive, please contact Connecting Utah at connectingutah@utah.gov or 435-264-8880.

- What information are you collecting?

The household or business location’s internet speed and monthly cost. Entering your full address is very helpful for accuracy. Nothing else is being collected. No need to provide your name or contact information.

- Why do you need my address?

This provides detailed information about your community's broadband internet availability including the provider servicing your area. It tells us if there is no service, it’s not good enough, or if it is too expensive. We can also see where there is great service or improvements have been made. All of this informs state leaders where to make the best investment to connect our citizens.

- If I don’t have internet, do you still want me to respond?

Yes, please. When we know where there is a need, we can direct resources to help you connect. Find a friend if you need help to do the online survey or give us a call. This is a service of the state. There is a dedicated line ready to take your call – we want to hear from you.

- What if I can’t remember how much we pay for internet?

That’s ok. That information does not have to be entered to run the speed test, but if you have a close idea of how much you pay per month, that can be very helpful. High monthly internet costs can keep people from subscribing. Did you know there is a government Affordable Connectivity Plan available to help fixed or low-income families to pay their monthly internet bill?

- Does the type of internet service I use matter for the speed test?

No. Even if you’re connected via a mobile hotspot, cable, or satellite internet like Starlink, we need you to take the speedtest. All of this information gives state leaders a better understanding of how Utahns connect to the internet and where.

- What are good, better, and best internet speeds?

The answer is subjective. Often, it depends on your household or business use.

Good
While there are some complexities in interpreting speed test results, anything less than 25 Megabits per second (Mbps) download speed is considered “unserved.” At this level of service, you may find it challenging to do anything other than email, perform internet searches, and stream video on one device at a time.

Better
Anything less than 100 Mbps down is considered “underserved.” Depending on how many devices are used simultaneously, if you're video streaming, uploading files, downloading large files, or gaming, you may not have enough internet bandwidth to support all of these activities.

Best
Anything over 100 Mbps is considered “served.”

One of the best ways to paint a clear picture of Utah broadband speeds is to have Utahns across the state complete this test to submit their internet speed data. We have data provided by internet service providers. Still, data provided by consumers can help us ensure Utahns are getting the internet speeds they’re paying for and identify areas for improvement.

So, after you complete your speed test, we encourage you to share this initiative by word of mouth or online. Please reference the Utah Speed Test Campaign or use the hashtag #UtahSpeedTestCampaign.

The more you help us spread the word, the better data collection, and the more we’ll be able to qualify for federal and other funding to improve broadband access where it’s needed most.

Speed Test Map

If you’re interested in viewing the internet speed data we’ve collected so far, you can explore the speed test map.

Public Map