The internet has transformed our lives beyond recognition.
We use it to find information, run our businesses, connect with friends and loved ones, stream shows and music, work remotely, learn online, make purchases, manage our bills and much more.
Having a fast and reliable broadband connection is vital if we want to get everything done that we need to. There’s nothing worse than an internet connection that loses speed, drops or disappears altogether.
Here at Glide, we want you to enjoy the fastest possible broadband connection to meet your needs. That's why we’ve decided to create this article and explain what a good broadband speed looks like and how you can find the right package for your home or business.
How Broadband Speed Is Measured
Your broadband speed is measured in mbps (megabits per second). ‘Bits’ are tiny units of data and a megabit is a million of them. When you check your internet connection, you’ll be looking at both your download speed and your upload speed.
The higher the number, the faster your connection. Web pages will load faster and music streaming, video calls, online games and educational content will stream much faster.
If the numbers are low, you could encounter that frustrating ‘buffering’ screen, your calls will be poor quality and you’ll feel like you’ve travelled back to the 90s as you wait minutes for pages to load.
How Much Broadband Speed Do I Need?
Good question! The answer depends on your unique needs such as whether you need broadband for your home or a business, how many people are using it and what you’re doing online.
For example, if you have a student house where multiple people are streaming video or audio, doing IG Lives or gaming online, you’ll need a much faster student broadband connection.
Here’s a quick guide to give you a basic idea:
- 10mbps- Better for small households with one or two people who don’t use the internet much. With 10mbps, it should take about 30 minutes to download an HD movie.
- 40mbps- For online gamers, surfing, HD streaming and social media use. This could be a good solution for households where multiple people are online doing basic tasks. With 40mbps, it should take around 15 minutes to download that HD movie.
- 100mbps- Multiple users who are into online gaming, ultra-HD streaming and uploading YouTube content could find that 100mbps is enough. With 100mbps, it should take 5-8 minutes to download that HD movie.
- 250mbps- Heavy internet users, speed freaks and households that watch ultra-HD movies at the same time could find that 250mbps is ideal for them.
Are you curious about your current broadband speed? Thinking of switching broadband providers and not sure what package you need? Use Google’s internet speed test and follow the instructions to find out.
Tip: For the most accurate results, use just one device and close all programmes and browser windows.
What Is A Good Download Speed?
When you’re looking for the ideal broadband package for you, look at both the download and the upload speed offered.
With regards to download speeds, around 10 mbps per person is a good basic guideline for households, although students might be better considering more as there are often several people streaming HD content at the same time.
For upload speeds, it again depends on what you’re doing. The bare minimum you should look for is 5 mbps, more if you want to live stream or video chat. If you want to use your broadband for uni, work or streaming, it’s better to look toward the higher end of the scale. Between 25-50 mbps is ideal.
When you’re using regular broadband, there can be a difference between upload and download speeds. If this is a problem for you, consider switching to fibre broadband. This offers the same upload and download speeds.
For example, if your download speed is 1000mbps, your upload speed will also be 1000 mbps. It’s also a more sustainable and efficient way of getting online. Get in touch with our team here at Glide to learn more.
How Does Fibre Broadband Work?
Fibre broadband uses fibre optic cables to deliver data quickly over long distances. This means it’s a more reliable connection than regular broadband and offers faster upload and download speeds.
There are two basic types of fibre broadband: FTTC and FTTP.
FTTC- This is superfast broadband that connects the telephone exchange to the box in your street using fibre optic cables. Then standard copper cables run between the box and your home.
FTTP- FTTP is ultrafast broadband that uses fibre optic cables that run directly to your home. It’s an eco-friendly option that provides an outstanding broadband speed and, although it’s not yet available in all parts of the UK, the network is growing.
Summary
Having the ideal broadband speed for your needs is vital if you want to run a business, study, do some online shopping or simply have some fun. Whatever your needs, we can provide broadband that get you connected and won’t let you down. Contact us to learn more.
