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How much fibre speed do you really need?

Source: Vsoftsystems, 17/09/2018


How much Mbps (read speed) do you really need from your new fibre
connection for your household? This article breaks it down and with an
easy-to-use chart to help you understand what you should sign yourself
up for.

Complaints like `its buffering`, `but I watch Netflix in HD` or
`Jannie is a gamer and I need a fast connection` are all valid, but we
find that most of the time people grossly overestimate the amount of
speed a household really needs.

For example, did you know that Netflix’s own stated requirements for
HD streaming are only 5Mbps?

But my `movies are always buffering` I hear you say. Well, which
`movies` are you referring to? YouTube, Netflix and Showmax are all
under 10mpbs for HD streaming. We can only guess that these `movies”
or `TV series` you are referring to are being streamed from sites
`with lots of pop-up ads and CAM versions` :P

Don`t worry we’re not here to realign your moral compass, but we can
tell you from first-hand experience that a faster connection probably
won`t help too much with these sites. The simple reason is that
streaming movies or series is a two-way street. You need a
`fast-enough connection` - 5Mbps and upwards - `to receive` the
content, but the site or server also needs enough speed themselves to
stream the movies to you without buffering.

These `non-official sites` definitely don`t have the network
infrastructure like the bigger official streaming companies like
Netflix or YouTube. And that’s why many a
`wooden-leg-with-an-eye-patch-viewer` still prefers torrents to
streaming - no judging!
Choosing the speed

When choosing the speed of your fibre line, ask yourself these questions:

How do you use the internet? Is it for personal use or are you running
a business from home? If you are running a business from home does it
involve downloading large files such as torrents or databases or is
your business mostly email-based?

How many devices are connected to the internet at one time - think
computers, smartphones, smart TV’s, game consoles etc?

How many people use the internet at home and what is the internet
activity of these individuals.

One of the best reasons to get a `high-speed connection` (50Mbps and
upwards) is if you have teenagers or more than three people in the
household.

Why teenagers? Well, teenagers are basically `Bandwidth-Vampires`.
With all their social apps and addiction to posting their lives,
outfits and philosophy online, you want more speed so you also have a
little something in reserve to do what you need to. We recommend that
you bargain about 10mpbs extra per teen!

Do you regularly use video chat or many phone calls via the internet
using Skype, Zoom, FaceTime, Google Hangout etc? Do you stream audio
regularly such as Spotify, Soundcloud, Google Home etc? Do you have a
regular gamer in the house? This is one of the big reasons the speed
requirement is pushed up.

The general rule of thumb is if you’re operating a large business from
home that requires downloading media-rich data or streaming of HD
content at high speed; you have regular VoIP and video conference
calls incorporating multiple users at one time - then you are likely
going to need a higher speed of between 50-100Mbps.

If your internet is purely for home-use, with one to three devices
connected, occasional streaming for one user at a time, checking
emails and browsing social media - then you are probably fine with
under 10Mbps.

A good middle ground, for those with multiple internet users at home
wanting to stream content, browse social media participate in Skype
chats etc. is a 10-40Mbps speed bracket.


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