This is enough Mbps. What you should and shouldn't pay for.
Following the pandemic, networks are becoming increasingly important, and home broadband, in addition to regular streaming and gaming, has become a resource for work and school services. Below, we'll tell you how to know if you're paying too much or if you're really getting the service you need.
Internet connectivity depends on each specific case. The number of connected devices and users in our homes is growing rapidly and demanding more and more. Sometimes, we enjoy incredible speeds, and other times we wonder why our connection is so slow. Maybe your video game stops when someone else in the house downloads music, or maybe the buffer needs more data just when the best part of that Netflix movie comes on.
What internet speed do I need? Quick tips
- Netflix says it needs 5 Mbps for Full HD content streaming and 25 Mbps for 4K Ultra HD content, but you'll need faster speeds if you want to connect multiple devices simultaneously. The same goes for other streaming and game casting services like Twitch.
- If you plan to stream 4K video content and have multiple devices connected to your network simultaneously, seriously consider investing in plans with faster download speeds, such as 100 Mbps, which should work for most households.
- Consider getting Gigabit speed if you can. Intensive data users need faster speeds and more bandwidth. If it's available in your area and you can afford it, Gigabit speed internet plans are the best for home connections.
- Use one of the speed test apps to check your internet connection speed to determine if you are actually getting the bandwidth you are paying for.
- Check your Wi-Fi connection and network optimization. Sometimes, the problem is with your network, not your provider. Is your house wired? If you use Wi-Fi to bring internet to the whole house, you will have considerable data loss in the furthest parts. Consult our guide on how to get Wi-Fi everywhere in the house.
Are you paying too much? 100 Megabits is enough
We know, all providers are telling you to get a faster plan. But you might be paying more than you need to.
To select the best services, you need to understand your bandwidth needs well. This depends a lot on the applications used (streaming is largely download-based), but as users start doing more things like video calls or sharing movies, upload speeds also become very important. Similarly, upload speeds are critical for video games or people who telework, as upload speeds affect things like screen sharing and video calls.
After the lockdowns, where people did everything from home, from work to school, having enough bandwidth for the whole family is more important than ever.
Some experts claim that the ideal measure is 20 Mbps per person. In an "average family," that's 20 x 5, or about 100 Mbps. Companies like Movistar offer download speeds of 100 Mbps as a reference, which should work very well for most cases as long as the internal connectivity in the house is optimized. (see our article on how many megabits you really need here)
It's also true that the more bandwidth, the better, but up to a certain point. Many megabits ensure you have enough bandwidth when you need it, for example, if you have a large file to upload or are doing sophisticated work.
It's also true that the more bandwidth, the better, but up to a certain point. Many megabits ensure you have enough bandwidth when you need it, for example, if you have a large file to upload or are doing sophisticated work.
That's why Gigabit speed of 1,000 Mbps is an exponential increase over the reference of 20 Mbps per person, as we move to 200 Mbps per person, although it is a luxury that will not always be necessary in all cases.
Telecommunications engineer Carlos Delgado considers that "today in 2022, anything more than 1 Gbps for a domestic user is quite likely to be excessive." "Only a few operators in Spain offer 10 Gbps.
As more people move to streaming for their movie and TV viewing needs, bandwidth requirements become a bigger issue. If you want to stream 4K content to get the best picture for your 4K smart TV, you'll need a connection of at least 25 Mbps. Lower-resolution content is less demanding, but even streaming 1080p HD video will require a plan of at least 10 Mbps for smooth performance.
And that's all assuming you're only streaming to one device at a time. If there's more than one TV in your home, or if you want to watch in the living room while someone else watches on a laptop in the kitchen, bandwidth needs will grow accordingly.
Smart home devices also create new demands for bandwidth. It only takes a few devices, like a smart thermostat, a smart speaker, or a smart lock, to start impacting your home's connectivity speeds, so don't forget to factor them into your calculation when considering how many devices there are. Most experts recommend adding an additional 5 Mbps to your plan for every 10 smart devices, though some products, like security cameras, will require much more.
The Cost of Connectivity
While there is debate about how much internet speed is necessary, it is very clear that providers benefit from the desire for faster internet speeds. But they can also provide information about how much speed you actually need by listing how many devices can connect to the network at any given time.
The global average fiber connection is around 70 Mbps and has become the minimum speed among operators in many parts of the world. This allows us to browse and also stream 4K content without any problems. Countries like Poland, Romania, France, and Singapore even offer a higher minimum speed in their offers (in France, it's 200 Mbps).
South Africa is the country with the most expensive 100 Mbps. There, this internet-only tariff costs 78.96 euros. It's surprising to find Iceland or Norway in the top 3 most expensive, at 62.51 euros and 62.05 euros respectively. Lower down the ranking, we find countries like the United States at 45.23 euros, Great Britain at 39.78 euros, or Portugal at 30.11 euros.
To find Spain, we have to go down to the options that cost 29.95 euros per month. Although it may seem like a reasonable price, it is far from the lowest. For example, in Argentina it is 20.28 euros for 100 Mbps, in India 15.11 euros, in China 10.43 euros, in Russia 6.96 euros, and in Ukraine 5.60 euros, the country with the cheapest 100 Mbps internet of all those analyzed.
In Mexico, the average price is $29, while in Peru it's around $40. Colombian households, for example, have to shell out about $25 a month for fixed broadband. Across the border, Panamanians pay more than double, about $66 a month, for the same service. Even so, the most affordable quote on the continent goes to Argentina, where the average cost of broadband does not exceed $20 a month.
So, how can you tell if your network needs a boost? It's important to look for "quality of experience" metrics, including load times, the number of connectivity failures, and connection dropouts. It's also important to use online speed test tools, such as or others, to see at what speed you start experiencing problems.
What about online gaming?
If you're an avid gamer, playing online with friends can be one of the most enjoyable things you do. And having faster internet is really important for that.
On its support forums, Microsoft offers a helpful reference document to assist you in determining how fast your internet speeds need to be to accommodate online gaming. According to the document, you need a download speed of 3 Mbps or better and an upload speed of 0.5 Mbps or better. Your ping rate (a measure of the delay your internet connection causes in online gaming) should also be less than 150 milliseconds.
Sony and Nintendo recommend the same speeds.
Twitch and game streaming
When it's time to stream games with friends on Twitch, you'll need faster connectivity, according to Microsoft and other gaming companies. According to Twitch's streaming guidelines, you'll need a bitrate of at least 2.5 to 4 Mbps to stream at 720p and 30 frames per second. Then, it goes up to 3.5 to 5 Mbps for 720p at 60 fps.
If you want to stream at 1080p and 30 fps, you also need 3.5 to 5 Mbps, and 1080p at 60 fps demands 4.5 to 6 Mbps.
The good news is that internet speed is improving. A 2020 study by internet speed test company Ookla found that the average download speed increased by 19.6% for fixed broadband connections at home between 2019 and 2020.
Gigabit speed connections, once limited to specific neighborhoods in only the largest cities, are now more widely available than ever before.
How much speed do I have?
Before making an informed decision about your internet speed, it's important to find out how much speed you're actually getting right now. And there are many sites to find out.
Popular internet speed testing tools include Ookla Speedtest and Netflix's Fast.com. You can access them from any web browser for free. Even better, you can also get dedicated smartphone apps for these same tools, with free apps for Ookla Speedtest (Android / iOS) and Fast.com (Android / iOS).
There are also similar tools provided by various broadband companies, if you want to use a tool that is specific to your Internet service provider.
Ookla Speed test
Regularly checking your connection speeds will not only give you a good idea of whether you are getting the services you are paying for, but also how adequate your connection is for uses such as 4K streaming or online gaming.
What's happening with 5G? Is it suitable for home use?
Wireless operators, including Movistar, Orange, and Vodafone, have already introduced 5G connectivity to their networks, and coverage has expanded to major cities. As 5G wireless technology begins to roll out across the country, there is a push to use 5G's faster speeds for home broadband as well as mobile connectivity.
The potential speeds promised by 5G are an incredible leap forward, with download speeds ranging from 150 Mbps to over 1 Gbps in some tests. That's a huge improvement over 4G, which ranges from 30 to 60 Mbps. That's also fast enough for some to consider using a 5G connection to meet all home internet needs instead of traditional wired broadband. However, there's still a long way to go before 5G at home becomes a viable option.
First, 5G service needs to expand to more parts of countries. It is offered in some cities, but rural coverage is not widespread, and networks are still being built and refined.
The hardware for home use is a bit different, with outdoor 5G antennas to attract the signal and 5G-compatible routers that then split the connection throughout the house. These products are still in their early stages, so don't count on getting rid of the cable yet.
There is also the question of price, as most operator data plans are still geared towards mobile operators and come with data limits and restrictions that are not as flexible as current fixed broadband. For now, it will be quite a while before you can switch your entire home to 5G.
Summary
Ultimately, deciding the internet speeds we need is not as simple as it seems, nor as simple as providers want us to believe. According to experts, you need to consider the number of devices that will be simultaneously connected to your network and exactly what you want to do with your connection. The method of data transmission you use in your home is also very important; nowadays, wiring connections is the most efficient.
If you're only looking for streaming and web browsing, you probably don't need much; the 20 Mbps per person rule will hold for quite some time yet. But if you're looking to stream 4K video, play online games, and connect multiple devices, you'll need more bandwidth, so you'll have to pay more, and it's highly recommended to avoid using Wi-Fi repeaters to avoid high ping.
And what you pay for may not be what you get. You should regularly analyze your network speeds to see what happens during slowdowns or loss of connectivity, as well as during regular use. If you're not receiving the speeds you're paying for, it may be time to call your service provider or check the optimization of your internal connections.
