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There’s no denying that our lives improve when we’re connected online. Whether you’re streaming series, working from home, gaming or checking your mail – a stable internet connection keeps you stress-free and able to go wherever your browser takes you. With all the jargon, numbers and technicalities, it can be hard to establish what internet speed suits your needs.
To figure out what internet speeds you need, first identify how you use the internet at home. Do you stream a lot of videos? Download large files? Play online games? The answer to these questions will give you a good starting point for finding an internet plan with the right speeds for you.
Mbps is the short form of Megabits per second. It’s a unit of measurement for internet connection speeds. The higher the number of Mbps, the faster your internet connection will be.
With our increased use of the internet, the question of “What internet speed do I need?”, becomes more difficult to answer – but with HomeLinkd, you can choose and compare which internet is best for you. The internet can be used for a variety of activities, requiring different speeds which then need to be analyzed individually.
Here are the questions you can ask yourself to determine what internet speed you need:
Different activities require a different amount of bandwidth. Streaming a video in high definition will take more bandwidth than answering emails. So, your internet speed needs to support what you are doing online.
When there are more people connected to the same internet connection at the same time, it can slow down the speed of your connection. Thus, if there are more people connected to one line, the speed of your internet will need to be faster.
When you’re shopping for internet service, you’ll see two speeds listed: download and upload. Download speed is the rate at which data from the internet is transferred to your computer, and upload speed is the rate at which data is transferred from your computer to the internet.
What do you need?
Download speed is most important when you’re doing activities that require a lot of data to be transferred — like streaming video or downloading large files.
Upload speed is more important if you’re sharing large files or live-streaming video. If you don't require much, and need access for basic internet activities such as email and web browsing, any residential internet plan will likely suffice.
Several providers offer asymmetric plans, meaning you will not get the same upload and download speed - for example, you may get a download bandwidth of 100 Mbps and an upload speed of 10 Mbps.
The short answer is: probably. 25 Mbps is fast enough for most internet users in 2020, unless you have a large household with several people all using the internet at once.
If you have a lot of devices in your home that are all online at the same time, such as gaming consoles or laptops, or if you do a lot of online gaming or streaming, you may need more than 25 Mbps.
There are a few ways to figure out how fast your internet connection really is. One way is to use an internet speed test tool.
Speed tests measure the time it takes to download and upload a certain amount of data. The results will show you your internet connection’s download and upload speeds in Mbps.
Checking your internet speeds is a good way to see if you’re getting the speeds you’re paying for — and whether you need to upgrade your internet plan.
The internet has become an essential part of daily life, and a faster speeds of internet connection is now a necessity for many households.
But how much internet speed do you really need for:
For making use of streaming services such as Netflix or YouTube, you would need:
- SD: 3 Mbps
- HD: 5-8 Mbps
- 4K Ultra HD: 25 Mbps
If you use broadband for light internet usage, you would need:
- 1 Mbps - 5 Mbps
To determine how much internet speed you'd need for online gaming, you'd need to take into account the type of game you're playing, how many players are involved, and the graphics quality you desire. We recommend:
- 25+ Mbps
For people working from home, you would need to determine how much download and upload speed you require - whether you receive more files than you send out. We recommend:
- 10 - 30 Mbps
These are just general guidelines. The internet speeds you need will also depend on how many people are using the internet at the same time and what they’re doing online.
If you have a lot of devices that are all online at the same time, or if you do a lot of online gaming or streaming, you may need more than 25 Mbps.
If you're looking to automate your home with smart devices, then you'll need a fast and reliable internet connection. A minimum internet speed of 50 Mbps is recommended, but the faster internet speed, the better.
A lot of smart home devices are internet-connected, which means they need a constant internet connection to work properly. If your internet speed is too slow, then your smart devices might not be able to connect to the internet and function as intended.
Here are some of HomeLinkd's recommended internet packages based on how many Mbps you would need:
5 Mbps - 50 Mbps
Providers and plans:
SuddenLink - internet 50
Verizon Fios - internet 75/75
AT&T Fiber - internet 100
Price:
Starting from $50.00
50 Mbps - 100 Mbps
Providers and plans:
AT&T - AT&T Access
Cox - Starter internet
Spectrum - Internet 100 Mbps plan
Price:
Starting from $60.00
100+ Mbps
Providers and plans:
Verizon Fios Gigabit Connection - internet 940/880 Mbps
AT&T Fiber - internet 300
Xfinity by Comcast - internet Extreme Pro
Optimum by Altice - internet 400 Mbps
Spectrum - internet 200 Mbps
Price:
Starting from $70.00 per month
Gigabit Internet - 1,000 Mbps
Providers and Plans:
CenturyLink symmetrical speeds up to 940/940 Mbps with Prism TV Essential
Frontier Fios Home Internet gig
RCN - Internet 1 Gig service
Price:
Starting from $60.00
If you're finding yourself in any of these situations, then it might be time to consider upgrading your internet speed. But what is the best internet speed for a number of devices?
The answer really depends on how you and your family use the internet. If you're just using it for browsing the web, checking email, and streaming video on one device at a time, then a lower internet speed might suffice - something around 25 Mbps download or upload speed.
However, if you have multiple people using the internet for gaming, video calls, and downloading large files, then you might need a higher internet speed - something above 50 Mbps.
Satellite internet is a type of internet that's beamed to your home from satellites orbiting in space. It typically offers much lower speeds, and more expensive than other types of internet, like cable or fiber.
That said, satellite internet has come a long way in recent years and now offers speeds that are fast enough for most activities, like web browsing, streaming video, and gaming. If you live in a rural area and don't have access to cable or fiber internet, then satellite internet might be your best option.
1. Check for internet outages in your area.
2. Restart your modem and router.
3. Update your modem and router firmware.
4. Use a wired connection instead of Wi-Fi.
5. Optimize your home network.
From this comparison you will be able to decide what speed you need, and the type of internet connection best suited to you. For example, Fiber internet speeds are considered to be the fastest, so they will be good for demanding activities such as gaming or for large business activities.
On the other hand, cable internet offers similar competitive speed to fiber, but it may not have the same infrastructure to manage the same traffic as fiber and is more appropriate to use in your home. Choosing the correct provider to suit your speed needs can be a difficult process.
Luckily different Internet Providers can be easily compared with HomeLinkd. Find your perfect Internet Provider by clicking here.
We have a wide selection of plans to choose from, so you can find and select the perfect one to suit your needs.
There's a deal for with fast, reliable and secure internet. With dozens of plans and bundle offer to choose from, you'll be spoilt for choice.
CenturyLink is your trusted provider of internet, home phone, and TV services. Whether you're at home or on the go, CenturyLink offer fast and reliable internet.
Get fast speeds, more data, and bigger savings on Viasat's reliable home internet plans!
EarthLink offer high-speed internet that’ll always keep you connected whether you're streaming your favorite shows or video chatting with friends.
AT&T offer you a variety of options to get the high-quality services you require, including DSL, fiber optic and fixed wireless networks, streaming and satellite TV services, and extensive 5G coverage.
Frontier, a leading provider of high-speed internet, TV, and phone services, offer various plans to fit your needs and budget.
