How Much Internet Speed Do I Need?

When choosing a broadband plan, getting the best value for your money is essential. You want to get exactly what you pay for – no more, no less. However, finding the best broadband plan for you or your family can be difficult, especially when you don’t know the specifics of your internet speed needs. We’ll answer your question to “How much internet speed do I need?” with our easy guide below!

The Two Types of Internet Speed

You will notice that there are actually two sets of numbers when looking at broadband plan speeds. This is because there are two types of internet speeds: download speed and upload speed, measured at Mbps and displayed as Download Speed/Upload Speed (e.g. 100/20 Mbps). To fully know how much internet speed you require, it’s essential to know the difference between these two speeds.

Download speed is the rate at which data is transferred from the internet to your computer, while upload speed is the rate at which data is transferred from your computer to the internet. They are simply the opposites of each other – downloading means receiving data, while uploading means sending data.

Generally, download speed is much faster than upload speeds. That is because most online activities consist of downloads, such as opening websites or streaming Netflix episodes. There are not a lot of individuals who send or upload massive amounts of data to the internet, hence the difference in speed.

Different Online Activities and Speed Requirements

On that note, different online activities require different speeds. With the rise of online streaming platforms (such as Netflix and YouTube) and social media platforms (such as YouTube and Instagram), more people are requiring faster download speeds. Below is a table of common online activities and their approximate required download speeds:

• Browsing and Email 2 Mbps
• Social Media 3 Mbps
• Streaming videos 3-8 Mbps
• Online Multiplayer Games 4 Mbps
• Video Teleconferencing 6 Mbps
• File Downloading 10 Mbps
• Streaming 4k videos 25 Mbps

You will also need to account for the number of devices connected to same internet connection to make sure everyone can enjoy doing their separate online activities without much interruption or slowing.

What Kind of User Are You?

Here at glimp, we group internet users into four categories – light, moderate, heavy and extreme – according to general internet usage and online activities.

• Light – social media usage, emailing, web browsing
• Moderate – internet calling, music streaming
• Heavy – YouTube and Netflix streaming, downloading
• Extreme – video conferencing, gaming, gigabit fibre usage

Depending on the type of user you are, you’ll need a particular broadband speed. If your household watches a lot of Netflix, then you should probably look at faster broadband speeds, around 24/8.5 Mbps. Gamers, especially game streamers, require high download and upload speeds at 100/20 Mpbs, as they need to send and receive data at the same time for a stream to work smoothly. YouTubers and other content creators also require a high upload speed so their videos upload faster.

Different Broadband Technologies – Test Your Internet Speed

There are different broadband technologies available that provide different internet speeds. Depending on your area, you can choose which broadband plans suit your needs.

• Fibre Broadband Plans – Fastest broadband tech available, offering max internet speeds of 200/20 Mbps.
• VDSL Broadband Plans – Best broadband service on the copper network, offering max internet speeds of 24/8.5 Mbps.
• ADSL Broadband Plans – Currently the most common broadband found in Kiwi homes, offering max internet speeds of 10/1 Mbps.

You can also use our handy internet speed test tool to check internet speed and see how fast your current connection is.

Now that you have a more concrete idea of how fast your internet should be, it’s time to look at the different broadband plans available to you. There are many New Zealand broadband providers that offer plans and deals for your specific needs. To find out which broadband plan suits you and your family, use glimp to compare broadband deals in your area!