Our obsession with speed often leads us to believe that we need the best fiber available, but this is not necessarily true. It’s important to find an operator that offers a good balance between speed and price. You may be paying for more fiber than you actually need.
When we’re shopping for an internet service provider, we tend to look for the best deal that offers at least 1 Gbps of speed. Some companies may even offer symmetrical 10 Gbps, promising us the maximum speed. However, the truth is that most of us don’t need that much speed to enjoy online activities like playing games, streaming shows, or browsing the web. In fact, having more speed than necessary won’t necessarily translate to better performance.
The series doesn’t look good…
Many people believe that having the fastest internet speed available is crucial for streaming high-quality content, but this is not necessarily the case. The truth is, you might be paying for more speed than you actually need. When choosing an internet provider, we often look for the best deal that offers at least 1 Gbps, or even symmetrical 10 Gbps. However, these speeds are often much more than what we require for streaming.
For instance, Netflix recommends a minimum of 25 Mbps to watch content in 4K quality, and even if multiple devices are streaming from the same account, 100 Mbps would be sufficient. Similarly, Disney+ requires a speed of 25 Mbps for 4K UHD content, which is easily achievable through most internet providers, even on Wi-Fi.
If you are experiencing poor streaming quality, it is not necessarily due to your internet speed. It is important to check the conditions of the streaming platforms you are using, as well as your equipment and connection quality. In many cases, having more speed than what you need is simply a waste of money.
Video calls won’t load…
You do not require a 1 Gbps or 10 Gbps internet plan for video calls. Poor video quality may be due to a software error or insufficient WiFi coverage on your device. Therefore, investing in more speed is unnecessary.
To support this, major video conferencing applications such as Zoom recommend a minimum speed of 3.8 Mbps for clear 1080p video calls. Hence, you don’t need a 10 Gbps plan for a better experience.
Even if you work from home with several roommates simultaneously on video calls, you won’t need 1 Gbps or 10 Gbps internet plan to avoid cuts. Up to 50 simultaneous video calls can be supported with good quality on much lower internet speeds. So, if you face video quality issues, the cause might not be the internet speed you have contracted.
Surf the internet or play
For basic Internet browsing, a few megabytes are sufficient for most websites to load without any problems. You can easily send and receive emails, as well as use social networks such as Twitter or Facebook without any issues.
Watching videos on platforms such as YouTube or Twitch is also not a problem. If you’re using your Internet connection for these purposes or for online shopping, then having 100 or 300 Mb should be sufficient.
Do you really need more?
In general, there are very few instances where incredible speeds are necessary for normal internet use, as previously discussed. However, there are a few specific cases where having high-speed internet is essential. For example, those who work with video editing and processing and need to transfer large files quickly may require faster internet speeds. Additionally, if you’re involved in broadcasting high-quality live videos online, having the best speed available can be advantageous.
Furthermore, professional cases of companies or small businesses that operate a server with a large amount of data may also require high-speed internet. If there is a need for continuous uploading or downloading of data to the server for work-related purposes, then having access to the maximum speed will be beneficial.
So what contract?
Considering all these factors, it’s important to choose a plan that suits your needs and budget. There are many options available from different providers that offer speeds of 500 Mb or 1 Gbps for reasonable prices, often around 30-40 euros. However, it’s important to carefully evaluate your internet usage habits and those of other people in your household before making a decision. For instance, if you or someone in your household requires fast upload or download speeds for video editing or streaming, it may be worth investing in a higher speed plan.
That said, it’s not necessary to become fixated on maximum speeds. In most cases, it’s not necessary to pay for more megabytes than you need, and there are other important factors to consider as well. For example, you should ensure that all your devices have good coverage, and that your router is configured securely and efficiently. By considering all of these factors, you can make an informed decision and choose the right plan for your needs.