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Symmetrical vs asymmetrical business broadband

Symmetrical broadband, with download and upload speeds the same, is essential to effectively implement cloud-based services, IoT applications, and remote collaboration that demand high-speed uploads. Despite this, most UK connections remain asymmetrical, with upload speeds lagging far behind downloads, even in some full fibre areas.

This article covers everything related to symmetrical and asymmetrical broadband connections, including how businesses can get one or the other and for whom it’s most important.

Contents:

What are symmetrical and asymmetrical connections?
Symmetrical vs asymmetrical broadband
Who is symmetrical broadband for?
Who is asymmetrical broadband for?
Symmetrical business broadband availability in the UK

What are symmetrical and asymmetrical connections?

The ‘symmetry’ of a business broadband connection refers to the difference between its download and upload speeds. There are two opposing categories:

Symmetrical business broadband

A speed test performed on a symmetrical FTTP broadband connection. — A speed test was performed on a symmetrical FTTP broadband connection.

Download speed ~ upload speed

Symmetrical business broadband connections offer similar speeds for sending and receiving data.
The above example corresponds to a 200/200 full-fibre connection (200 Mbps download; 200 Mbps upload).
As of October 2024, symmetrical connections are only available to full-fibre and leased line broadband deals (More details here).

Asymmetrical business broadband

A speed test performed on a asymmetrical broadband connection. — A speed test was performed on an asymmetrical FTTC broadband connection.

Download speed > Upload speed

Asymmetrical business broadband connections offer download speeds usually ten times higher than the upload speed.
The above example corresponds to a typical part-fibre 200/20 connection (200 Mbps download; 20 Mbps upload).
Asymmetry is typical in copper wire-based connections like SoGEA and FTTC, reflecting typical usage in small business broadband.
Residential broadband deals tend to be asymmetrical for the same reason: household usage is consumption-based, spending most of the bandwidth on services like Netflix and YouTube.

Testing symmetrical business broadband

There are two easy ways to find out whether your broadband is symmetrical or asymmetrical by:

Checking the agreed speed (shown as “download speed/upload speed”) on your Service Level Agreement (included as part of your business broadband contract).
Performing a broadband speed test to check the actual performance of your broadband.

Symmetrical vs asymmetrical broadband

A table shows the main differences between asymmetrical and symmetrical broadband:

Feature	Symmetrical Broadband	Asymmetrical Broadband
Upload & Download Speeds	Equal or very similar upload and download speeds.	Faster download speeds, slower upload speeds.
Best Suited For	Businesses requiring high upload tasks such as video conferencing, cloud backups, large file sharing, graphic remote collaboration. Necessary for advanced systems like 5G Private Networks and other Internet of Things applications.	Businesses focused on web browsing, video streaming, card readers, PoS systems, and basic cloud-based services like e-mail and shared documents.
Cost	More expensive because it requires full-fibre or leased lines.	More affordable because it is typical of slower, copper cable based connections.
Performance	Offers consistent performance for both uploads and downloads, unlocking cloud-based and smart applications.	Prioritises download-heavy tasks, but slower for upload-based activities such as sending large files, backing up data onto the cloud and live streaming.
Target businesses	Large businesses, remote workforces, tech firms, financial institutions, and media companies.	Small to medium businesses like retail stores, restaurants, cafés, and offices with basic upload needs.

Who is symmetrical broadband for?

Symmetrical broadband is necessary for businesses of all sizes and across any industry that rely on sophisticated online applications that require uploading large amounts of information back to a cloud server.

Here are some examples:

Business applications of symmetrical broadband

Shipping firms and warehouses: Supply chain management software relies on devices connected to a fast-upload connection to keep the ledger up to date.

Any large enterprise: Cybersecurity software requires malware detection apps to scan network traffic for malicious programs and upload the data to the cloud for live analysis.

Design studios: Cloud-based CAD programs need fast upload speeds for simultaneous project work, ensuring live changes are uploaded quickly to keep the workflow dynamic and feedback-driven.

Trading firms: High-frequency trading depends on rapid data transmission to execute time-sensitive financial transactions and feed live data into financial models, where even milliseconds can impact profitability.

Broadcasting: UK media companies, especially those involved with sports like Premier League football, need symmetrical broadband to stream live, high-definition video feeds to audiences worldwide in real time.

Who is asymmetrical broadband for?

Asymmetrical broadband is for businesses that use everyday broadband applications that mainly require download bandwidth.

This includes regular personal use and typical office cases like e-mail, basic cloud-based documents, and spreadsheets. Here are some more examples:

Retail outlets: E-commerce and point-of-sale systems rely on fast downloads to process transactions and access inventory data, while upload needs are minimal.

Call centres: VoIP systems depend on stable download speeds to handle customer queries and access databases in real time. The low bandwidth requirements of these SIP-based systems make them suitable for low-spec asymmetrical broadband.

Digital marketing agencies: Social media monitoring tools require fast downloads to track trends and analyse customer data.

Healthcare providers: Health record systems need quick access to cloud-stored patient data, with minimal upload demands for minor updates.

Entertainment display: Cafes, stores, and other high-street businesses using screens to show YouTube videos as part of their decor rely on fast download speeds for smooth streaming with minimal upload requirements.

Symmetrical business broadband availability in the UK

The availability of symmetrical business broadband largely depends on whether full fibre (FTTP) is available at your premises and the configuration offered by the business broadband providers.

Here is a summary of the connection types where symmetrical business broadband is available:

Connection Type	Symmetrical Available (Y/N)	Explanation
ADSL	N	ADSL relies on copper wires, which have limited frequency bandwidth, prioritising download over upload.
SoGEA	N	SoGEA (like FTTC) uses copper for the last mile, where signal attenuation limits high-frequency uploads.
FTTC	N	FTTC uses fibre to the cabinet, but copper to the premises. Copper can't efficiently carry upload data at the same rate as download due to higher signal degradation in the upstream.
HFC (Cable)	N	Coaxial cables are optimised for high download bandwidth via frequency division but have limited upstream channels.
FTTP (Full-fibre)	Y	FTTP uses fibre-optic cables end-to-end, allowing equal capacity for upload and download without signal degradation.
Leased Line	Y	Dedicated point-to-point fibre connections, allowing symmetrical speeds by reserving equal bandwidth for both directions.
Satellite (e.g., Starlink)	N	GEO satellites have high latency and limited bandwidth, making symmetrical speeds impractical. LEO (e.g., Starlink) improves this but isn't fully symmetrical yet.
Mobile (4G/5G)	N	Mobile networks use asymmetric spectrum allocation, prioritisin

Full fibre symmetrical/asymmetrical broadband

Symmetrical broadband is currently only possible within the full-fibre broadband network.

However, providers may offer asymmetrical full-fibre packages based on customer demand, cost-effectiveness and the network’s configuration. For example, providers accommodating a larger customer base, like Sky and Talk Talk, offer asymmetrical FTTP for standard businesses and reserve symmetrical speeds for premium packages.

Some full-fibre networks use GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Network) technology to share bandwidth among multiple users and generally prioritise download over upload, leading to asymmetrical speeds.

On the other hand, providers like Hyperoptic, which specialises in performant full-fibre, solely offer symmetrical business broadband deals.

This makes you compare business broadband deals so popular: it lets you receive quotes for all connection types available, including whether they’re symmetrical.

Asymmetrical landline broadband deals

Only asymmetrical broadband will be available if your business premises are outside the full-fibre network and still rely on older copper wires at any segment of its connection.

These connections don’t have what it takes to match download speeds with upload.

This includes SoGEA, FTTC and Virgin Media‘s cable broadband, which can reach comparable or even faster download speeds than full-fibre but cannot match it in terms of uploads.

Asymmetrical wireless broadband deals

Unfortunately, mobile and satellite broadband technology has not yet matured enough to offer equal upload and download speeds.

Technologies like 5G business broadband and Starlink are technically capable of symmetrical connections, which may be offered as part of a custom enterprise solution.

However, providers have not yet been able to scale their infrastructure to offer these services to regular business customers. Mobile broadband deals rely heavily on slower 4G networks for coverage, and LEO satellite providers like OneWeb are still building their constellations.

With the rollout of 5G antennas and the expansion of low-earth satellite constellations, this will likely change in the next couple of years.

Symmetrical vs asymmetrical broadband – FAQs

Our business broadband experts answer commonly asked questions on symmetrical and asymmetrical broadband in the UK.

Is symmetrical broadband only for large businesses?

No, symmetrical broadband is not just for large businesses. While larger enterprises more commonly use it due to their higher upload demands (e.g., cloud services, video conferencing), small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) can also benefit from it.

Any business that relies on fast, consistent uploads—such as creative agencies, tech firms, or those working with large files—may find symmetrical broadband advantageous, regardless of size.

For more details, see our section on: Who is symmetrical broadband for?

Can I upgrade from asymmetrical to symmetrical broadband later?

You can switch later, depending on your local infrastructure and your contractual agreement with your provider.

If your provider offers symmetrical full fibre or leased line services in your area, you can switch to a symmetrical plan at the end of your contract or earlier if you are happy to incur any contract termination fees.

However, this will be impossible as long as full fibre remains unavailable. Use Openreach’s Fibre checker to see how long it will take to become available in your area.

If you’re a rural business, you may apply for a full-fibre business broadband installation with other local homes and businesses through the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS).

Why is there connection asymmetry?

In the past, both infrastructure and provider configurations were geared to favour download speeds over upload speeds.

Early internet usage focused mainly on content consumption (e.g., downloading media and content), so bandwidth-limited connections like ADSL were designed to match this demand and improve the experience.

This is akin to preferring a three-lane road with a dual carriageway on one side and a single lane on another to accommodate skewed traffic patterns. However, with the rise of cloud services, video conferencing, and data-heavy operations, demand for symmetrical connections grew as these services require faster upload speeds.

There is a growing tendency towards symmetrical connections when the infrastructure permits, but asymmetrical connections remain the norm for UK businesses.