Table of Contents
Do you Need to Optimize your internet speed and how much Mbps do you Need?
Have you ever pondered the necessary speed of your internet connection? This question likely crosses your mind as you contemplate renewing your existing contract or settling your internet bill.
Determining the appropriate broadband package for your household’s needs can be challenging. In recent years, the reliance on home internet has soared, with broadband connections now pivotal for work, education, entertainment, and gaming.
To figure out whether you’re overspending on your internet or if it meets your needs, consider the benefits of investing in top-notch cable modems and Wi-Fi routers. These devices not only optimize your internet performance but also abolish the need for additional rental fees charged by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Investing in your equipment could result in significant savings over a year or two by cutting out unnecessary payments to your ISP and granting you quicker access to the latest technology like Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7.
However, as the number of users and internet-enabled devices in your home grows, so does the need for more bandwidth, making internet speed requirements constantly growing.
Have you experienced fluctuating internet speeds where at one moment, your devices work flawlessly, and at another, your connection lags? For instance, an online game might load slowly if another family member starts a video call, or you might experience endless buffering during the climax of a Netflix show.
To determine the necessity of upgrading to a higher-speed plan, a third-party consultation with broadband specialists and ISPs was sought.
What internet speed is good enough for you? Here is what they suggest
- Netflix and every other company recommends that you need 5 Mbps to stream full HD content and a data rate of 25 Mbps (megabits per second) for 4K Ultra HD content. However, you’ll want even faster speeds if you plan to connect several devices at once. The same holds for other streaming services as well as for game-streaming services like Twitch.
- Multiple devices necessitate more bandwidth. If you plan on streaming 4K video content and have multiple devices connected to your network at the same time, you should seriously consider investing in a plan that can provide faster download speeds, such as 200 Mbps to function. This speed should work for more data-hungry households.
- Consider gigabit (1,000 Mbps) speeds, if available. Those who use a lot of data will want faster speeds and more bandwidth. If they’re available where you live, gigabit-speed internet plans are the best you can get for home connections right now some ISPs have begun rolling out multi-gig plans but they are still quite expensive.
- Know your speeds! By using one of the best speed test apps, you can check your internet connection speed to determine whether you’re getting the bandwidth you’re paying for.
- Check your Wi-Fi connection. Sometimes the problem isn’t with your ISP but with your home network instead.
Is there such a thing as too much speed?
Even though your ISP may be advising you to get a faster and more expensive plan, there are chances you may be paying more than you need to.
There’s the best package for your usage, for that, “you just got to understand your bandwidth needs”, quoted an expert, who also suggested, – “this [bandwidth] depends more on the applications being used; notably (streaming is largely a downstream application), but as users start doing more things like video calls and movie sharing, upload also becomes very important.”
During the pandemic when most people had to handle everything from work to school at home, it’s because the need to have sufficient bandwidth for an entire household became quite a important than ever before.
A senior engineer working at a major ISP company mentioned that “Internet speeds ultimately does depend on what each of users are doing with their internet connection.
The engineer also concluded that an “average family” shouldn’t pay for “anything beyond 20 x 5” or, in other words, 20 Mbps each for up to five data-hungry devices such as desktop computers, laptops, game consoles, and streaming TVs.
A typical ISP will provide 100 Mbps download speeds, (this kind of plan should be well adequate for most people), however, some companies may vary based on their baseline, typically reliant on using twisted copper pairs (via phone lines), as the speed the end user gets is very reliant on the location of their high-speed node and how far their home is from this equipment.
How much Mbps do you really need?
Number of Devices | Use Cases | Recommended Download Speed |
1-2 | Web surfing, email, social networking, moderate video | Up to 25 Mbps |
3-5 | Online multiplayer gaming, 4K streaming | 50 – 100 Mbps |
More than 5 | All of the above plus sharing large files and live-streaming video | 50 – 100 Mbps |
Another expert mentioned that “the more bandwidth you possess, the better – although that could only be, up to a point”.
Another expert said that a fast data rate should ensure you’ve ample bandwidth when you need it. For example, For example, if you have a big file to upload or you’re doing sophisticated work on your network.
As the name suggests, gigabit speed offers 1,000 Mbps or 1 Gbps which is an exponential increase over the 20-to-200 Mbps plans that are generally considered high-speed broadband.
Some pundits claimed that probably “Anything over 10 Gbps to a home user can be seen as overkill” and that only very few networks and places in Canada offer 10 Gbps. Having gigs everywhere should be the ultimate goal – not because donuts are maxed out by people, but because it will ensure everyone can do what they want without worrying about network-being-the-bottleneck.
However. as more and more people slowly shift to streaming to watch TV and movies online, bandwidth requirements become a rather larger concern. If you want to stream 4K content to get the best picture on your smart TV, you’ll need at least 25 Mbps to do so. Lower-resolution content is less demanding, but streaming 1080p HD video requires a 10 Mbps plan for smooth performance.
This presumption makes it clear, followed by, you only stream video to a single device at a time. If you own more than one TV in your house, or you want to watch in the living room while someone else watches something in the bedroom: then your bandwidth needs will grow accordingly.
Smart home devices also require more bandwidth and it only takes a few – like a smart thermostat, a smart speaker, and a smart lock – to start having an impact on the speed of your home network. This is why you should seriously consider including these devices when determining how many connected devices you have in your house.
Most experts do recommend adding an extra 5 Mbps to your plan for every 10 smart home devices. Some, like cameras, even demand more data.
In other words, as a professional in the field, I have summed it up to say that “Your internet Speed each device experience is directly proportional to the number of concurrent connections to your Modem”
The cost of connectivity
Best internet plans in Canada
Are you seeking to find the best internet plans in Canada? You might want to check out some of the most popular plans several reputable internet providers offer. You know, from major internet companies with fiber-optic networks to smaller independent retailers running on cable and DSL, there’s probably something for everyone.
Best internet plans for those on a budget
(Please note: Some price adjustment errors and Omissions are likely and can be expected 🙂
You’ll generally find the best prices with smaller independent companies. These internet companies often run on cable or DSL networks instead of fiber-optic ones. This means speeds will be slower, but these plans are often enough if you only need an internet connection for basic use, such as web surfing, answering emails, or doing school work. Do you need more bandwidth or desire faster speeds? Then consider how or whether these providers can offer higher-speed plans, and then compare the features with the costs.
- Virgin Unlimited Internet 50 – Priced at $40 per month. It’s only suitable for limited use and offers download speeds of up to 50Mbps along with upload speeds of 10Mbps.
- Fizz 10Mbps plan – It’s priced attractively at $35 per month. This is a basic plan that offers download speeds of up to 10Mbps and upload speeds of up to 1.5Mbps. They also have other plans offering download speeds of up to 30 or 60Mbps for less than $50 a month.
- Acanac’s 25Mbps plan – Priced at $35 per month, Acanac offers a few plans with unlimited data. However, please note that this plan reverts to its standard monthly price of $60 after the first 24 months.
Best internet plans for lightning-fast speed
These plans cost a little more than basic plans per month, but for sports fans, gaming enthusiasts, or those who work from home, these high-speed plans would be perfect for streaming.
- Bell Gigabit Fibe 8.0 – Priced at $140 per month for two years and it increases to $155 thereafter. This plan operates on a fiber-optic network and offers super-fast speeds of up to 8Gbps. It also offers a security subscription and unlimited data, free of charge.
- Rogers Ignite Internet 2.5 Gigabit – Priced at $124.99 per month for the first two years and it goes up to $134.99 thereafter. You’ll get fast download speeds of up to 2.5Gbps with this plan.
- TELUS Purefibre X 3 Gigabit Internet – Priced at $115 per month for the first two years and increases to $145 thereafter. Offering download and upload speeds of up to 3Gbps, this fiber internet plan offers unlimited data for 24 months.
However, do make a note that you need to read the lines between the lines, terms, and conditions in detail, or else you might get into a bit of a spot here or there.
In many instances, choosing your internet connection speed means weighing how much you’re hoping to get against how much you’re willing to pay. But are you ready for the actual possibility that your expectations might not match what you get?
Most ISPs offer internet packages with an important caveat: “up to.” In other words, for the average residential internet customer, ISPs aren’t often guaranteeing a certain download or upload speed. So, if you’re paying for a 25-Mbps plan, you might get that speed (if not more) at times. But there’s also a fair chance that you might get less.
Even if your ISP is providing the speeds you want, the number of devices connecting to your network could be causing some of these issues that might ultimately slow down your connection. Now that devices like laptops, phones TVs, and even home appliances, all need a steady stream of data, it’s surprisingly easy to underestimate your needs.
“Internet connections serve households or businesses that have multiple users that each have multiple devices (sometimes more than 10 per), they create congestion in unexpected ways – you may not need a 100-Mbps connection most of the day, but when you need it, you want it there. Much like a car can go 100 mph, but we rarely drive it that way.”
So, how can you tell if your network needs a boost?
Ideally, you should look out for “quality of experience” metrics, which include load times and the frequency of connection glitches and connection drop-outs. The online speed-check tools, like the aforementioned Fast.com or others, help understand what speed at which you start experiencing some difficulties.
What about online gaming?
If you’re an avid gamer, playing online with friends might be one thing you enjoy most. For this reason, having fast internet is important for you.
Microsoft has published a handy document on their support forums to help you know how fast your internet speeds should be to accommodate online play. According to the document, you’ll want a download speed of 3 Mbps or better and an upload speed of 0.5 Mbps or better and your ping rate (a measure of the lag your internet connection causes in online gaming) should also be under 150 milliseconds.
Twitch and game streaming
When you stream games between friends and family on Twitch, you’d need much faster connectivity, as per Microsoft and other game companies. According to Twitch’s broadcasting guidelines, you’ll require a bit rate of 2.5 to 4 Mbps to play at 720p and 30 frames per second. Then it raises to 3.5 to 5 Mbps for 720p at 60 fps. And be assured, if you want to stream at 1080p and 30 fps, you would need 3.5 to 5 Mbps as well, and about 1080p at 60 fps itself will demand 4.5 to 6 Mbps.
So, are speeds changing?
The super duper good news is that internet speeds are improving rapidly. A study showed that the average download speed increased by 19.6% for fixed home broadband connections between 2019 and 2023.
Gigabit speed connections, which were once limited to specific neighborhoods in only the largest cities, are more widely available than before. According to research, Gigabit service is available to a vast majority of households in Canada, and is usually readily available in newer Developments.
How much speed do you now really have?
Before you make an informed decision regarding your internet speed, you need to find out what kind of download and upload speeds you’re getting right now. Fortunately, there are plenty of places to find that out.
Popular internet speed testing tools include Ookla Speedtest and Netflix’s Fast.com which you can pull up on your laptop or smartphone in any web browser for free. Even better, you can also get dedicated smartphone apps for these same tools, with free apps for both Ookla Speedtest (Android / iOS) and Fast.com (Android / iOS). Just make sure you check out our guide on the best speed test apps if you want more options.
Regularly checking your connection speeds will not only give you a good idea of whether you’re getting the services you pay for but also how well-suited your connection is for uses like streaming in 4K or online gaming.
What’s the buzz about 5G and 6G?
Wireless carriers, including Bell, Virgin Mobile, and many others, have already rolled out their 5G connectivity across their networks, and coverage has already spread to major cities and markets. Once 5G speeds finally come to your area, the innovative mobile technology could severely impact your current ISP. As 5G wireless technology begins to roll out across the country, there is a big push to use the faster speeds of 5G for in-home broadband, as well as mobile connectivity.
The potential speeds promised by 5G are quite a leap forward, with download speeds varying from 150 Mbps to often more than 1 Gbps in some tests. That’s a gigantic improvement over 4G, which typically ranges from 30-60 Mbps. That’s also fast enough speeds that could conceivably use a 5G connection to meet all of your home internet needs instead of the usual wired broadband.
However, there’s still a long way to go before 5G in the home becomes a viable option. Firstly, the 5G service needs to roll out to more of the country. It’s offered in some cities, but rural coverage isn’t widespread, and networks are currently still being developed and refined.
Regarding The hardware for in-home use, it is a bit different, with exterior 5G antennas to pull in the signal, and 5G-compatible routers then divvy up the connection throughout your house. These products are still in the early stages of development, so don’t think of completely getting rid of your cable service just yet.
There’s also the matter of the price, as most data plans from carriers are still mobile-oriented, and come with data caps and restrictions that aren’t as flexible as current fixed broadband. We recommend that you wait a while before switching your entire household to 5G.
Internet speeds: Wrapping Up
In the end, deciding on the internet speeds you need isn’t as simple as you would’ve assumed, or as easy as ISPs would like you to believe.
The experts suggest you need to think about the number of devices that will simultaneously connect to your network and exactly what you want to do with your connection.
If it’s just streaming and browsing that you’re after, you probably won’t need much. But if you’re looking to stream 4K video, play online games, and connect multiple devices, you’ll need more bandwidth, which will in turn cost you more.
What you pay for may not be what you get. You should periodically analyze your network speeds to see what’s happening during slowdown or connectivity loss, as well as regular usage. If you fail to see the speeds you’re paying for, it might be time to call your internet service provider.
Navigate to our Homepage or see Related Articles:
