With an internet speed of 1.5mbps, you can expect to download files at about 183.11 KB/sec. Currently, the minimum speed requirements set by the FCC in order to be classified as high speed broadband is at least 25 mbps down and 3 mbps up.
Taking this into consideration, we can blatantly see that a speed of 1.5 mbps is well below the threshold for what is considered to be high speed broadband in this day and age. A speed of 1.5 mbps is actually very slow and is not a good speed if you plan on playing video games, or streaming media.
To put this into perspective, you need a minimum of 3mbps down to effectively play online games as well as a minimum speed of at least 25 mbps if you are planning on streaming in 4K resolution. In this article we will outline the most common uses and how well 1.5 mbps will perform while doing them.
Examples of File Sizes and Download Times Using 1.5mbps
The following is a small table showing some common file sizes and the time it would take to download these files if your internet speed was 1.5 mbps.
| Amount of Data | Amount of Time to Download |
| 25mb | 2 minutes 19 seconds |
| 50mb | 4 minutes 39 seconds |
| 100mb | 9 minutes 19 seconds |
Is 1.5 Mbps Slow for Internet?
According to the minimum requirements of high speed broadband, 1.5 mbps is not even close to 25 mbps. 1.5 mbps is considered to be a very slow internet. It will be slow for video streaming, downloading and uploading files, and even basic internet browsing can become an issue.
1.5 mbps internet will be fast enough for opening emails and browsing basic web pages, but don’t expect much more than this. Streaming Netflix will be possible, however you will need to make sure it is on the lowest possible quality settings to help minimize any buffering and long loading times.
Is 1.5 Mbps Fast Enough for Netflix?
| Netflix Stream | Broadband Internet Speed |
| Standard Definition (SD) | 3mbps |
| High Definition (HD) | 5mbps |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | 25mbps |
If you check on the Netflix website, currently they require an internet speed of at least 1.5mbps, however this can change to a higher speed at any time as technology continues to advance at a rapid rate. According to the above chart, they recommend having at least a speed of 3mbps if wanting to watch shows in standard definition.
Anything higher than this is definitely out of the question with a speed of only 1.5 mbps. Trying to watch a stream in a high quality with this low of a speed will cause you to encounter constant buffering/unbuffered picture, or very long loading times
Is 1.5 Mbps Fast Enough to Work From Home?
When looking for a reliable internet speed to work from home, it is impeccable that you make sure it is fast enough to perform all your basic tasks. Is 1.5 mbps internet good enough to work from home? This is definitely not a good speed to have when working from home, and let’s elaborate why.
Having a faster internet, of at least 25 mbps is more preferred when working from home. A download speed of only 1.5 mbps will severely limit you when it comes to download and uploading large file sizes, as well as performing video and voice chat
Zoom
We know that while working from home, Zoom is one of the most commonly used applications to communicate with your boss or other coworkers. Zoom calls heavily rely on your internet speed to deliver and receive the voice and video.
If you look at the Zoom website, they recommend at least 600kbps up/down for high quality video, and at least 1.0 Mbps/600kbps up/down for group calls. Having a speed of 1.5 mbps can support this, but there is no excess bandwidth to be used for anything else.
Is 1.5 Mbps Internet Fast Enough for Gaming?
If the primary use for your internet will be for gaming, then a speed of 1.5 mbps will sadly be a disappointment. Not only will your latency/ping be high (around the 75-100 ms mark), but it will also take forever to download video games as well as updates and patches.
It is recommended to have a speed of at least 3 mbps down and 1-2 mbps up in order to have a good gaming experience in the 20-50 ms range. Anything above 100 ms starts to negatively impact gaming performance greatly and is considered not playable by many professionals.
If Wifi is your primary connection point, then we recommend using a high speed gaming router to help keep your as low as possible. Click here to check out the wide selection of Netgear Wifi Gaming Routers on Amazon.
Is 1.5 Mbps Fast Enough for a Family?
1.5mbps is definitely not going to be fast enough for multiple users in a house. This speed is barely enough for one person to do basic web browsing and email opening, let alone multiple people using it at the same time.
Final Thoughts
An internet speed of 1.5 mbps only yields a download speed of about 183.11 KB/sec. It is also far off from being considered high speed broadband since the requirement is at least 25 mbps down and 3 mbps up.
Don’t expect to stream video in high quality or have good ping/latency when playing online games. 1.5 mbps is considered to be very slow and is only decent when it comes to browsing basic web pages as well as opening and reading emails.
Working from home with an internet speed of 1.5 mbps may also be risky as video and voice calls will likely stutter or buffer, especially if the high qualities are being used.