LAX’s Wi-Fi speed, in context
LAX is preparing to upgrade its Wi-Fi system, both free and paid (starting price: $5.95). It’s long been a sore point with travelers who have found it pokey, at best.
LAX’s new, free Wi-Fi service is expected to clock in at 5 mbps. That puts it in the same league as free service at the main airports in Phoenix and Atlanta. (To see how these airports and others compare: www.lat.ms/1RS eyK7.)
When we talk about Internet speed — that 5 mbps figure, for instance — we’re generally talking about download speeds; most people want and expect fast downloads. That’s how we stream content and download movies. For travelers on the run, that’s especially important.
It’s not just airports where we want speed; it’s anywhere we rely on other networks to get our work done or to post Instagram photos of our vacation.
The following stats, provided by Marc Patterson of Boingo, provider of LAX’s Internet system, reflect download speeds and explain what is required for various tasks. 2-4 mbps: Enough for casual Web surfing, including checking email. Can be enough to stream a standard-definition video, but airports with speeds this slow usually don’t recommend passengers stream video or download content. 4-6 mbps: Will provide a good Web-surfing experience. Often fast enough to stream a 720p high-definition video, and it’s possible to download some videos in about 20 minutes at this speed. But 4 mbps can still be sluggish.
6-10 mbps: Usually an excellent Web-surfing experience. Generally fast enough to stream a 1080p (higher-definition) video.
10-20 mbps: More appropriate for a “super user” who wants a reliable experience to stream content and/or make fast downloads. 20+ mbps: Appropriate for what Patterson calls the “pro-sumer,” people who want to run a lot of applications at once, usually for business reasons. Users at these speeds can “blitz the network,” Patterson said.