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How Much Internet Bandwidth Do I Need?

 

Here’s a thought: Everyone wants fast Internet connection but nobody should pay for speed they don’t really need. So how much is enough, or in this case, you can ask yourself, how much Internet bandwidth do I need?

 

First things first, let’s define what “bandwidth” is and how it relates to Internet speed. In Internet terms, bandwidth is the data transfer rate, how much data is transferred from point A to point B in a given time period (in this case, in seconds). Having greater bandwidth is nice but keep in mind that it is NOT the only factor that affects performance and it does not automatically equate to the desired result.

 

What does that mean? Well, if an Internet Service Provider promises you that their fastest service would give you a smoother Netflix playback, that would definitely not be true. Like other sites where you can watch videos, Netflix only needs a measure of bandwidth. Of course, if you have a slower Internet connection, you may have to settle for lower quality settings and buffering here and there but once it reaches a certain speed, you will be able to stream a high-resolution video. Speeds higher than that won’t make the videos any crisper.

 

Having said that, how much Internet bandwidth you need is ultimately up to how you use it. If you’re in an office setting with 20-something people, it makes no sense to have a 5 Mbps connection. If you’re in a household of five where everyone uses the Internet in their devices or stream Netflix at the same time, you can certainly benefit from a higher bandwidth.

 

Here are examples of activities and their bandwidth needs:

 

Downloading movies— Downloading a two-hour movie on a 4Mbps bandwidth will take 75 minutes.

Streaming music— This require much less bandwidth, typically at 2Mbps, it will function properly.

Sending emails— Takes far less bandwidth than playing music, approximately at 0.75 Mbps without attachments.

Online Gaming— In online games where they allow users to talk and interact with each other, that will take a considerable amount of bandwidth, even some as big as 40 Mbps!

Facebook— Browsing through the newsfeed does not amount to much (maybe at around 0.3 Mbps) but it’s a completely different story if you’re streaming videos from the site.

 

Again, just remember that you should take into account the number of people doing online activities to accurately determine how much Internet bandwidth you really need. If several family members are downloading movies or streaming Netflix at the same time, or if you have a serious gamer under your roof, it is imperative to get yourself the highest possible bandwidth that you can. Same can be said in a business setting.

 

For further recommendations and explanation, you should contact your Internet Service Provider. Finding out your definitive Internet bandwidth needs will save you a lot of time and frustration later, whether you will be making that decision at home or at the office.

 

For hi-speed internet, call Advanced Tech at (800) 689-3434 or (506) 472-1800 and receive a no obligation quote today.

 

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