In today’s day and age, many businesses cannot operate without high-speed internet, but just how critical is it for the wide-format print sector?
A recent study carried out by Elevate analysed internet speed across the UK to rank the cities with the most connection issues.
The survey took into account fixed-line download speed as well as average and median internet speed, and Google searches for connection issues in each city. Based on download speed and frequency of search queries, the connection issue index was calculated.
Unfortunately, London came out on top as the city with the most connection issues. The capital stood out with the lowest download speed at only 24.4 Mbps, while fixed-line broadband speed sits at 57 Mbps. Bad news for any PSPs working in the big smoke.
Elliott Mueller, a CEO of Elevate, said: “London’s poor connectivity, despite its status as a global financial hub, demonstrates how aging infrastructure struggles to meet current digital demands, particularly when millions of users compete for bandwidth simultaneously. High population density overwhelms systems originally designed for much lighter usage, while the costs and complexity of upgrading infrastructure in established urban areas often lag behind the rapid growth in digital needs.”
Other cities in the top 10 included; Sheffield, Norwich, Bath and Glasgow, highlighting the issue extends to the whole of the UK.
Why does high-speed internet matter?
We’ve all been there. You’re trying to download or upload a file and you get the spinning wheel of death.
Generally speaking, wide-format printers are designed for high-speed printing, which means poor internet speed and network infrastructure can have a detrimental effect on the overall printing process.
To ensure optimal print resolution and quality, it is advised that the reliability of the connection is more important than specific speeds. A fast and stable connection is vital for transferring large design files to the printer, especially for high-resolution images or complex CAD drawings.
Slow printing isn’t necessarily an issue in itself; it’s more of an inconvenience to you and your customers. However, it can indirectly affect print quality if jobs are interrupted or if the printer is overwhelmed leading to potential errors.
Another element to consider if you are experiencing network dropouts or slow connectivity, is the number of printers hooked up to the network. If you have multiple printers all connected to the same network, the combined data transfer can be significant. It is important to check that your internet connection has enough capacity to handle all machines printing simultaneously.
A wired connection generally offers faster and more reliable data transfer compared to wireless connections, which can be beneficial for large print jobs.
One final tip to help speed up your internet connection is monitor your network usage. Track your network usage to identify potential bottlenecks and ensure your internet connection is optimised for your printing needs.
By optimising your workflow, file formats and network settings you can help minimise any delays and improve overall printing efficiency. That way ensuring your customers receive their prints in a timely fashion and return for repeat business.
Happy printing!
