Speed is one of the major factors to consider when looking for a broadband deal. Too slow can leave you frustrated, too fast could be a waste of money.
How are broadband speeds measured?
Broadband speed is measured in bits per second. This is how quickly data is transferred to or from your home broadband.
Most of the broadband deals you see will be megabits per second (Mbps or Mb) with a few postcodes lucky enough to have gigabits per second (Gbps or Gb).
Download speed is the speed at which data is transferred to you, such as loading websites or downloading music and apps.
Upload speed is the rate at which data is sent to the internet, for example posting a picture on social media. Upload speeds can be significantly slower than download speeds. This is because most of us do a lot more downloading than uploading, so this is given priority by providers. Upload speed is only likely to be a factor for you if you do large amounts of uploading, such as working from home and accessing a remote network, or playing online games.
There are a few different terms you may see used to describe speeds. These aren’t official names, and the definitions can vary, but they do provide a rough guide to the kind of broadband services and speeds you can find.
Standard broadband refers to ADSL broadband, a service which uses copper telephone lines and has an average download speed of around 10Mb.
Superfast broadband is generally used for speeds in excess of 24Mb (though Ofcom defines it as a connection with a download speed of 30Mb).
Ultrafast broadband refers to a connection with a download speed of 100Mb or more, although Ofcom defines it as a connection speed of 300Mb and upwards.
Hyperfast and gigabit broadband are the next generation of high-speed. Hyperfast may refer to a connection speed of 500Mb+ whilst Gigabit is 1Gb+. Very few homes will be able to get gigabit or hyperfast broadband right now, though both Openreach and Virgin Media are working to expand coverage.
What broadband speed do I need?
So how do you figure out how much speed you need? Like the tog rating on your duvet, it can be hard to comprehend just how these numbers apply to the real world. More isn't always better - you don't want to be using a 15 tog in the middle of a heatwave, just like you don't want to be paying for ultrafast speeds you are not going to use.
The simplest way to determine the broadband speed you need is how many people live in your home and how they use the internet. As a general rule of thumb the more people in your home, the faster the broadband needs to be. And if you’re using your broadband connection for gaming and or streaming, you’re going to need a faster speed than if you just use the internet for checking email, social media and a bit of browsing.
We can start with matching broadband speeds to that of typical households to give a very rough guide.
Up to 10Mb
Suitable for homes with 1 or 2 occupants. You bank online, shop online and regularly use social media. The most intensive things you do online are streaming video content (Netflix, Amazon etc.) or downloading films, which you tend to do together rather than independently in different rooms and on different devices.
11Mb - 35Mb
Ideal for student homes or for family homes with 3-4 occupants, all with smartphones, tablets and separate TVs. Two or three of you are off in different parts of the house doing your own thing - streaming movies and TV separately, or downloading movies, apps and games.
35Mb+
Homes with 5 or more occupants, all using the internet and stream TV regularly. Maybe you’re in a large shared household or student dorm. You all own smartphones, tablets, laptops and so on, and tend to do most things separately, rather than sat in the same room all together at the same time.
Gamers and streamers
The problem with basing the speed you need purely on how many people there are in your house is that it doesn't account for more intensive activities, like gaming, or streaming in 4K.
Gamers frequently need to download games and updates, which are huge files. As a general rule, you should add 30Mb for each person in your household that downloads games to a console or PC, or streams TV shows in 4K.
What can affect my broadband speed?
Sometimes your broadband may be slower than normal. There can be various causes for this.
Traffic Management
Some providers have traffic management (or throttling) policies which prioritise different types of usage and slow down other tasks. However, this is becoming rarer as most providers have removed this.
Peak time
Broadband can get slower at busy periods when more people are using it.
Other people using the connection
This could be obvious like a houseguest. But could also be a naughty neighbour so make sure your connection is password protected.
Weak WiFi signal
Poor WiFi signal can have a significant impact on broadband speed. This can be solved by ensuring the router is optimally positioned in your home, installing signal boosters, or upgrading to a better quality router.
Frequently asked questions
What are the benefits of faster broadband?
A faster broadband connection means you will be able download movies and games quicker, and there will be less buffering when streaming shows or movies. Not to mention less grey hairs from a frustratingly slow connection.
How are broadband speeds advertised?
Broadband providers are required to use an average speed when advertising speed. This average is based on the performance of 50% of their customers during peak hours.
Will I get the broadband speed advertised?
There is no guarantee you’ll receive the advertised speed. Various factors such as your location, quality of the lines and network traffic can all affect the speed you receive.