Notes: Most residential internet connections quote speeds of "up to" X Mbps. Audio calling and screen sharing uses up to ~130 kbps.
Group video requires about 1Mbps, HD group video uses about 2 Mbps. Microsoft Teams uses about 1.2 Mbps for HD video calling (720p), 1.5 Mbps for 1080p, 500 kbps for standard quality video (360p). Skype requires about 1.2Mbps (up/down) for high-definition video, with a minimum requirement of about 0.5Mbps. Screen sharing and audio VoIP calling uses 60-100kbps. Below is a list of the most common programs with their respective bandwidth requirements: Zoom requires between 1 Mbps and 3 Mbps (up/down) for video streaming, depending on the quality, and whether it is 1:1 or group video. Note that video conferencing has much higher upstream requirements than other applications.
Also, with residential internet connections, upstream (upload) bandwidth is usually much lower than downstream (download) bandwidth.
Most broadband connections are able to easily accommodate single user video conferencing without any issues, however, keep in mind that multiple users at home may be using bandwidth-intensive applications including video conferencing, gaming, streaming online video content, downloading Windows updates, etc. With the increase in remote work and school activities, it is important to know the bandwidth requirements for various products so you can plan for a sufficient internet connectivity accordingly. Skype can be confusing to use the first time you try, but the more you use it the easier it gets.Bandwidth requirements for video conferencing vary depending on the software/platform you use, however the average seems to be about 2 Megabits/second both down and upstream for high-definition video. You can also send text messages into the group at any time.
If you're signed in to a Microsoft Account with your PC, Skype will automatically sign in.
If you can't find it, you may have to download or update it from the Microsoft Store here.
Find Skype on your PC by typing "Skype" into the Start Menu.If you'd rather schedule a call for later and make sure all the participants are setup first, look at the group chat option below. Use this option if you're planning to set up and start a meeting right away.