These are the things you should consider:
This guide shows you what speeds you need for most internet-based tasks. Just add up how many people do each task daily, calculate the total and you'll have a customised internet speed total for your house.
As a basic rule, you’ll need at least 10Mbps per broadband user. Although this should be doubled for any users who are gaming or streaming 4K content.
If you want an even more simplified version without the need for any type of maths at all, we’ve broken it down again so you can have an instant idea of what you should be shopping around for.
Another good practical way to tell what broadband speed you need is to check your existing WiFi. Run a speed test and see what download and upload speeds you have with your current broadband deal.
If there’s never any problem with your current choice – great! Stick to these speeds. That’s unless your calculations are saying you don’t really need the lightening service you’re paying for.
UK internet speeds range very widely, taking you from 10Mbps to over 1Gbps (1000Mbps), although the higher speeds aren't available everywhere – or with every provider – just yet.
The speed of broadband you can access depends a lot on whether your postcode has access to full fibre broadband yet. Part-fibre broadband is now available to about 97% of the country, the maximum speeds this can offer is about 70Mbps. Although this is fine for many, full fibre – available to roughly 50% of UK – can get you 12x this speed.
Check to see what the average download speeds are where you live with our broadband postcode tool.
Even if you live alone and use the internet mainly for just shopping and browsing social media, we'd still recommend that you look for a fibre broadband deal first if available to your postcode.
Some providers still offer the most basic type of 10Mbps copper cable internet connection (ADSL/Standard), but often at prices that are actually more expensive, than the cheapest fibre deals.
A faster fibre-optic connection is now usually cheaper to get than a slower, standard broadband connection. This means you'll get more for your money if you go for them.
The more people in your household, the more devices you're likely to use. If you're all streaming on separate deices and spending 2-4 hours per day online, this should be a good option for your household. Bear in mind, you'll need to increase this if someone is downloading or uploading a large amount of data by gaming or streaming 24/7.
In family or shared accommodation with four or more people, you'll need to have a reliable connection and speed to avoid buffering or slow-loading. There will be peak times too – normally 4-8pm – where multiple devices will be used for streaming and other purposes.
If anyone is gaming or streaming 4K content, it would be wise to consider choosing speeds of at least 100Mbps, even if you are in a smaller household.
