Symmetrical internet is when download speeds and upload speeds are equal. A download speed of 1 Gig would be matched by an upload speed of 1 Gig. Matched speeds at this level are available only through fiber optic internet connections. Asymmetrical internet is when download speeds are significantly higher than upload speeds. For example, a download speed of 100 Mbps and an upload speed of 5 Mbps can be typical with broadband cable connections.