Say it like this
- We're running out of bandwidth on this project
- I don't have the bandwidth to take that on right now
- We need to increase our server bandwidth to handle the load
Use it at work
Saying you're busy
- I don't have the bandwidth this week. Can it wait until Monday?
- Our team has no bandwidth for new features this sprint.
Asking for help
- Does anyone have bandwidth to review my PR today?
- Do you have bandwidth to take this on?
Talking about networks
- The video calls are using most of our bandwidth.
- We're hitting the bandwidth limit on the CDN.
Don't say this
Bandwidth is a quantity with a speed measurement (Mbps, Gbps), not a speed itself. Use low, high, or limited instead of slow.
Don't mix it up
| Term | What it is | Who writes or uses it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| bandwidth | Time and energy to take on work | Everyone | "I don't have bandwidth." |
| capacity | How much work a team can handle | Managers, planners | In sprint or quarterly planning |
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. You are very busy and cannot take on more work. What do you say?
2. The video streaming service uses a lot of _______ to deliver high-quality content to millions of users.
3. Which sentence uses bandwidth incorrectly?
4. Rewrite this using bandwidth idiomatically: 'I am too busy right now to help you with that project, but maybe next week.'
Say it out loud
Phrase 1 of 3
"We're running out of bandwidth on this project"
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More about bandwidth
Real examples(4)
- in a standup
"I don't have the bandwidth to take that ticket until the release is done."
- in a network discussion
"The video call drops because the office has only 20 Mbps of bandwidth for forty people."
- in a planning meeting
"Does anyone have bandwidth to review the migration plan this week?"
- in an incident review
"Bandwidth was fine. The real problem was latency between regions."
More mistakes(2)
Handle with care. Bandwidth is often used metaphorically to mean 'available time or mental capacity', not just network speed. Do not confuse the technical definition with the figurative usage.
- ✕I need more bandwidth to understand this code.✓I don't have the mental bandwidth to understand this code right now.
The metaphorical use requires mental or available bandwidth, not just bandwidth alone.
- ✕We bandwidthed the entire network.✓We increased the bandwidth of the entire network.
Bandwidth is a noun and cannot be used as a verb in standard tech English.
Other forms(2)
- bandwidth noun
"Our CDN has 10 gigabits per second of bandwidth available."
- bandwidth (used as adjective) noun modifier
"We need a bandwidth upgrade to handle the increased traffic."
Often used with(5)
- available bandwidth · Used when discussing the capacity currently accessible
- limited bandwidth · Used to describe either restricted network capacity or limited time and attention
- increase bandwidth · Common action phrase for upgrading network or allocating more time
- consume bandwidth · When a process or person uses up available capacity
- bandwidth throttling · Deliberately limiting data transfer speeds
Similar words(3)
- capacity · More general term; can apply to people, systems, or networks
- throughput · More technical; measures actual data transmitted, not maximum potential
- speed · Often confused but not precise; bandwidth is measured differently than connection speed
Opposites(3)
- latency
- bottleneck
- congestion
Questions(8)
- What does “I don't have the bandwidth” mean?
- It means “I am too busy to take this on right now.” It is a polite, common way to say no at work.
- What is bandwidth in networking?
- The maximum data rate of a connection, measured in bits per second, for example 100 Mbps. Higher bandwidth lets more data move at once.
- What does bandwidth mean in tech?
- Bandwidth is the maximum amount of data a connection can carry per second, measured in bits, for example 100 Mbps. It describes capacity, not how quickly one request is answered.
- What is the difference between bandwidth and latency?
- Bandwidth is how much data can move per second. Latency is how long one message takes to arrive. A connection can have high bandwidth and still feel slow if latency is high.
- What does I do not have the bandwidth mean?
- It means you are too busy to take on more work right now. It is a polite, common way to say no or not yet in meetings and chat.
- Is bandwidth the same as speed?
- Not exactly. People often call bandwidth speed, but real speed also depends on latency and other factors. Bandwidth is the size of the pipe, not how fast water starts to flow.
- How is bandwidth measured?
- In bits per second: Kbps, Mbps and Gbps. A lowercase b means bits and an uppercase B means bytes, so 100 Mbps is not the same as 100 MBps.
- How can I ask about someone workload using bandwidth?
- Say: Do you have bandwidth to review this? or Is there bandwidth on your team for this next sprint? To decline, say: I am at capacity this week.
