What broadband speed do I need?

Dan Howdle • September 5th, 2024

In the world of broadband, megabits are abstract. Though most of us understand the more the megabits the faster the broadband, few of us comprehend how that applies to our household. Is 10Mbps enough? What about 50? Or 500?

Overview

As a general rule, you'll need a minimum of 20Mbps per broadband user. Double this to 40Mbps for each user if they're streaming 4K content or gaming. The average broadband speed is now around 73Mbps in the UK.

Speeds based on activities

Our table compares broadband speed recommendations based on common online activities to help you choose the right package for your needs:

Activity	Speed per user
Browsing and social media	10-20Mbps
Streaming HD content	20-30Mbps
Streaming 4K content	25-40Mbps
Online gaming	30-50Mbps
Multiple users and devices	100Mbps+

Speeds based on number of users

This table shows the recommended broadband speed based on the number of users in your household. Use this as a reference to ensure everyone can use the internet smoothly.

Small households (1-2 people)

If you live alone or with one other person who also uses the internet, and the most bandwidth-intensive things you do online are internet shopping and browsing social media, it’s likely that your needs will be met by an entry-level fibre package at around 30-35Mbps.

ASDL (11Mbps average) is now generally only offered to customers when there is no fibre connection available, and that's just as well – it is too slow for most modern households.

Although you may not need all the speed fibre offers when in a small household with low broadband usage, an entry-level fibre connection is no more expensive than an ADSL service and is therefore a better choice.

Medium-sized households (3-4 people)

In a large household, while you may sit down and enjoy streamed movies and TV together on occasion, it’s likely that at least some of the time, you’ll be in different parts of the house doing your own thing online.

The more people that use your broadband connection at any one time, the more bandwidth you’ll need, especially if you’re streaming movies or downloading and using apps and games separately.

For a household of 3-4 people, an entry-level Full Fibre or cable broadband (Virgin Media) is usually a sensible choice. However, neither of these is available everywhere so if you have to settle for standard fibre (65Mbps or thereabouts) then that's what you're stuck with, and if you can only get ADSL then, well, we feel for you.

This type of broadband deal will typically offer speeds of between 60Mbps and 250Mbps. Some providers, like Virgin Media, offer much faster fibre broadband connections that go right up to 1.13Gbps, and some Full Fibre providers like EE and Vodafone offer speeds of up to 1.6Gbps! Choosing a faster speed can help future-proof your household, particularly if you have growing kids who are spending more and more time online. If you or someone you live with might be switching to home working in the near future, it’s also a good idea to add a little extra broadband speed to accommodate this.

Why choose faster broadband for a 3-4 person household?

• Accommodate multiple users – Ensure simultaneous users can enjoy uninterrupted browsing and streaming
• Smooth 4K streaming – Stream in ultra-high-definition (4K) without buffering
• Home working needs – Prepare for future home working with sufficient speed for video calls and file sharing
• Future-proofing – Meet growing broadband usage from children as they get older

Large households (5+ people) or gamers

If you have a larger-than-average family or live in shared student accommodation, it’s highly likely there’ll be times each day when everyone wants to get online separately. It’s also likely that along with a range of other devices, someone in the household will stream content via an internet-ready smart TV, or a TV with a streaming box.

There may also be peak times when everyone wants to get online, usually between 4pm and 8pm when everyone has come home for the day.

In a busy household, you’ll want to make sure you have a reliable connection to avoid issues like buffering or slow-downloading games and documents, so aim for a Full Fibre broadband deal with an average speed of at least 150Mbps.

Some fibre optic deals now offer speeds of up to 1.6Gbps. Virgin Media offers full fibre on its own fibre network of up to 1.13Gbps, and Openreach is steadily upgrading its network across the UK. This means you can now get Full Fibre from most providers, provided it's available where you live (about 62% of UK homes currently have access).

Serious gamers and streamers

Judging broadband speed based only on how many people are in a household doesn’t always work, as one or two people in the household may use the broadband much more than the others.

The likely culprits for using more than their fair share of the broadband are serious gamers, who often need to download huge files containing new games and updates, and 4K streamers who want to watch movies and TV on their 4K televisions via the likes of Netflix, Amazon, Apple TV, or YouTube (consuming anything up to 40Mbps of your home broadband connection). Make sure you’ve allowed enough speed to stream all of your favourite shows with our guide to streaming speeds.

As a general rule, you should add an extra 100Mbps of broadband provision for each person in your household that downloads games to a console, PC, or tablet, or who streams TV shows in 4K, or make sure that your broadband deal is fast enough. A simple rule in a house full of gamers is simply to get the fastest speed available to you. Even if you don't use all of that speed, it will absolutely keep your home harmonious.

Why latency matters for online gaming

Latency, often referred to as 'lag', is the time it takes for a signal to travel from your device to a server and back. For online gamers, especially those playing fast-paced multiplayer games like Call Of Duty or Valorant, low latency is crucial. High latency can lead to delays in-game actions, which can see your character dead before you have the chance to fire back.

Full Fibre broadband offers the lowest latency compared to other broadband types, making it the best option for gamers. If you're a serious gamer, consider Full Fibre broadband with low latency to reduce delays and ensure smooth gameplay.

Latency by provider

Here's a table showing the typical latency you can expect from the UK's top providers. Note that it depends on whether you opt for Fibre (FTTC), Full Fibre (FTTH), or Cable Broadband (Virgin Media only).

Why do different streaming services have different speed requirements?

Streaming services like Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon Prime all require different broadband speeds to deliver content smoothly, and this varies depending on the quality of the stream. The higher the resolution — like HD or 4K — the more data is needed to stream without buffering. But even at the same quality level, you may notice that some platforms require more speed than others.

One reason for this is how efficiently a service compresses its video data. Compression is the process that shrinks a video file so it takes up less bandwidth without losing too much quality. Platforms like Netflix and Disney+ have highly efficient compression, so they can offer high-quality streams on relatively lower speeds. On the other hand, platforms with less efficient compression, or those aiming for ultra-high video quality, might need more bandwidth to deliver their stream.

Additionally, some services adjust video quality dynamically, depending on the strength of your connection. For instance, if your broadband speed drops, Netflix will reduce the resolution to prevent buffering. However, other platforms may not adjust as smoothly, resulting in buffering if your connection isn't fast enough. This is why the minimum speed for a good viewing experience can differ from one service to another, even if you're watching content at the same resolution.

Minimum broadband speeds for streaming

Streaming service	SD	HD	4K/UHD
Netflix	3Mbps	5Mbps	15Mbps
Amazon Prime	1Mbps	5Mbps	25Mbps
Youtube	1.1Mbps	5Mbps	20Mbps
NOW TV	2.5Mbps	12Mbps	-
Disney+	-	5Mbps	25Mbps
Apple TV+	-	8Mbps	25Mbps
Paramount+	2Mbps	8Mbps	25Mbps
Google Play Movies & TV	-	-	15Mbps
BBC iPlayer	1.5Mbps	5Mbps	24Mbps
ITV Hub	3Mbps	-	-
TNT Sports	3.5Mbps	8Mbps	30Mbps

Key: SD = standard definition (720p), HD = High definition (1024), UHD = Ultra high definition (4K)

Upload speeds vs download speeds

Understanding the difference between download and upload speeds is crucial for choosing the right broadband package. Download speed refers to how fast data is transferred from the broadband to your device, while upload speed measures how quickly data is sent from your device to the broadband. Activities like streaming videos and browsing depend on download speed, while tasks like video calls and uploading files rely on upload speed.

Upload speed can be as important as download speed in certain cirumstances – tasks like video conferencing, live streaming, and cloud storage. Here’s a breakdown of recommended upload speeds for different activities:

Conclusion

Choosing the right broadband speed is crucial for ensuring a smooth online experience, whether you're working from home, popping heads in Call of Duty, or streaming 4K content (quickly becoming the norm). Your household’s needs depend on how many devices are connected, how you use your broadband, and what kind of tasks you and those in your household perform. As available broadband speeds become ever faster, it’s becoming easier to get faster speeds at more affordable prices (Full Fibre is now often the same price as FTTC fibre), making it essential to assess your usage and invest in a plan that suits your needs. Just bear in mind you can always upgrade, provided faster speeds are available, but it's much harder to downgrade should you get a lot more speed than you need.

For smaller households or those with lighter internet use, an entry-level fibre package of around 36Mbps may be more than enough. However, as the number of users or devices increases, especially in households with gamers or 4K streamers, you’ll need more speed to prevent buffering, slowdowns or just long waits. A speed of 100Mbps or higher ensures that everyone can enjoy seamless browsing, gaming, and streaming, but that means either Virgin Media or Full Fibre, and not everyone can get either or both of those.

If we've done our job, this guide will have helped you understand the sorts of speeds you should be looking at.

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