With the increasing use of the internet in our daily lives – from gaming to streaming to simply using the internet to work from home, the main conundrum is deciding which speed will be best suited for your use. Several factors need to be kept in mind and their importance is ascertained in deciding the required speeds. In case, you are not sure about how to determine which speed will be best suited for your needs, read on and let us help you figure it out!
What speed do you need?
Let us take one of the most common uses of the internet: Netflix streaming. To stream HD content, a minimum of 5 Mbps speed is required. In case you prefer watching content in 4K a minimum of 25 Mbps is required. It is imperative to note that the higher the number of devices using the internet connection the more bandwidth is required. Therefore, in case, three or four users are browsing the internet for different things, a minimum of 100 Mbps speed will allow seamless use by all. It is not always the best solution to select the fastest internet plan, which is on offer. These plans are the most expensive as well. It is always smarter on the pocket to understand the speed requirements and then compare offers across different ISP’s before selecting one. Another factor to account for is your location, which has to be a good point where you get more signals than other and less traffic which makes the internet lag and disconnect at times. Mid-city this may not be the issue because the highest stretch of signals is there and most people are using the internet thus the signals are smoother there unless there is suddenly a heavy amount of traffic for example during games or premiers of new series of episodes.
Checking the Speed
In case you feel like the internet speed is slow for your use, before filing an upgrade request on your current internet plan, it is advisable to run a speed test. This ensures that you are being provided the speeds, which you are paying for. In case there is a gap in your package speed and the speed being received, lodge a complaint and request that the speed you paid for is available to you at most, if not all, times.
What is the recommended speed?
After an extensive survey comprising users as well as ISP’s, an average user of the internet needs the below-mentioned speeds:
| Devices | Usual Online Activity | Recommended Downloading Speeds |
| 1 – 2 | Basic Web Browsing, Emails, Social Networks, & Moderate Streaming | Up to 25 Mbps |
| 3 – 4 | Online Games, HD & 4K Video Streaming, Downloads | 100 – 200 Mbps |
| 5 + | Online HD Streaming, Multiplayer Games, Live Streams, & Large File Sharing | 400 – 940 Mbps |
The speed of 25 Mbps may seem like a small speed but it is ideal for a small home. Some of the activities which can easily be done with this speed include streaming movies or shows on streaming sites such as Netflix at the best resolution, playing online games which have low ping rates as well as no waiting time during browsing but not games with first shooter style and rapid-advancing games.
The best Internet Service Providers
While there are many ISPs operational in the USA, some of the best ones are:
Comcast Xfinity
The largest cable services provider in the USA! Xfinity is available in 40 states, provides an HFC Network based infrastructure, and offers a maximum speed of 2000 Mbps. Head on over to Xfinity internet for some economical packages with the best speeds. They have an option to bundle up which saves up on costs and the effort to maintain separate plans for internet, cable, and home phone.
Charter Spectrum
This is the second-largest cable services provider in the USA and offers coverage in 44 states. They have a unique and clear pricing system that stays the same across different states: you can buy the same package across all 44 states without any price hikes. The offering turns out to be the best in terms of bonuses such as unlimited data, high speeds and added security for a reasonable $49.99 per month. You can find it in most areas and offers a great speed that helps to do just about everything.
AT&T
The leading service provider covering 21 states offers two main connections: a fiber one and a DSL one. The fiber plans are the best internet deals in the country that have a starting point of $35 per month for 300 Mbps and a reasonable $60 per month for 1,000 Mbps! This has a blazing fast internet and has the latest tech of fiber optics, which works best for gaming and streaming without any lags.
Also Read: How To Choose The Best Internet Connection?
