Your internet service provider (ISP) probably has a range of packages from budget options to the fastest speeds that are available in your region. But if you are shopping for a new internet package for your home or business, then one of the main questions to ask is how much download speed you actually need.
It’s all too easy to simply go for the fastest package that you can find, but the truth is that many people don’t need this for either home or work. To determine how much download speed you actually need when choosing an internet package, it’s important to consider how much speed common internet activities use, how to calculate how much your household or office needs, and consider if your future use might change.
How Much Bandwidth Do Common Activities Use?
It’s not uncommon for people to have internet plans with a speed that just doesn’t match up to the type of activities that they are doing online. To make it easier for you to determine how much download speed you actually need, the first thing to do is consider the type of activities that you and your family, or your co-workers, are going to be doing when connected to the internet.
For example, if you only use the internet for browsing and email, this uses very little bandwidth. On the other hand, if you spend a lot of time streaming video, downloading large files, and on video conferences then a higher bandwidth plan might be a better option for you. Email uses the least bandwidth, while HD and 4K video streaming use up the most. Check out internet providers in Peoria AZ like Wyyerd to find the ideal package for your needs.
How to Calculate Your Bandwidth Needs at Home or Work
For most households and offices, going with the highest tier of internet speed available to you is probably too much. And it’s also important to consider the type of internet connection. For example, with gigabit fiber broadband, you don’t need the highest speeds to be able to seamlessly stream 4K video in every room of your house at the same time. If you are getting internet for your home, then it’s important to consider how many people are in your household and what kind of internet activities they all take part in.
What time they will be doing this is also important to consider, as bandwidth is shared. So, if you have a large family but everybody accesses the internet at different times of the day, you probably don’t need a huge amount of download speed. A general rule of thumb is to multiply the number of users in your household or workplace by 25 mpbs to get a clear idea of how much bandwidth you’ll need from your internet plan.
When Are the Highest Speeds Useful?
While most people don’t need the top-tier internet packages with the highest speeds and prices, there are some situations where they might come in useful. For example, if you are an online gamer and routinely download new games from the internet, a high speed 100 mpbs internet connection will go in your favor, since many game titles these days are huge and often exceed 100GB in size.
While it might be a few hours before your game is downloaded and ready to play on a slower internet plan, if you’re on the highest tier then you will see a massive difference, and it may be sheer minutes before the download is complete. With this information, it’s worth figuring out how much extra the higher tier package will cost and determining if it is the right choice for you. After all, it might not be worth it if you only make large downloads once every few months. On the other hand, if you’re downloading a new large file such as a game a few times a week, it might be worthwhile paying for.
How Much Upload Speed Do You Need?
When looking at different speeds for internet packages, download speeds are likely to be the main factor you are looking at. However, upload speeds are becoming increasingly important, especially with the shift towards working from home. In the past, upload speeds haven’t been given a lot of attention for home broadband as most people who used the internet at home were focusing on how fast the data would reach their devices rather than how fast they can send it out.
However, due to the number of people now working from home, along with an increase in people creating online content at home, the need for good upload speeds has risen massively. Similar to download speeds, how much upload speed you need depends on the activities you do, with VoIP calling using the least and activities like live streaming and cloud-based backups requiring more.
If you’re looking for internet for your home or workplace, figuring out how much download and upload speed you need will ensure a smoother online experience.
