Download speed

What is download speed?

Everything you pull in counts: a web page, a movie, an app update, a photo from a family text. It is measured in Mbps and, on a plan, printed before the upload figure, as in "up to 500 / 200." The FCC's Household Broadband Guide ties recommended download levels to activities, from light browsing to several people streaming video at the same time, and treats downloads as the primary need in most homes.

The FCC's current benchmark for advanced service is 100 Mbps down and 20 Mbps up, as restated in its 2026 Section 706 Report.

How does it read on High Desert plans?

Bronze runs at up to 500 Mbps down, Silver at up to 800 and Gold at up to 1 Gig, priced at $50, $75 and $99 a month (hdiss.net, read 10/15/26). Each is a ceiling. The actual result depends on the radio path, how busy the network is, the router, the cable and the device you test on. Wi-Fi often shows less than a wired test.

Tower-based service shares capacity among customers, as every shared network does, which is part of why the plans are stated as "up to." Read more at "up to" speed.

What should I do about it?

To test fairly, plug one computer into the router with a cable, close other apps, run three tests, and repeat at a quiet hour and a busy one. The speed test page lays this out. Then compare the results with the plan's ceiling and with your needs, using this household guide.

If results sit far below what the plan led you to expect, call 775-575-9593 and report the times and the numbers. The support team can look at the link. If you are shopping, Check your address to have the path to a tower looked at.