November 25, 2020
Best Internet Speed Depends on Devices, Uses, and Expectations
“How much Internet speed do I need?” Alpine Communications hears this question a lot from customers, and there’s no single right answer. For some customers, a download speed of up to 5 MB may work fine. Other households may need a download speed of up to 50 MB or more to keep everybody in the family happy.
To select the best Internet speed for your household, it’s important to consider these factors:
- How many devices do you have in your home? Take a look around and add up all the Internet-connected devices you own including computers, tablets, smartphones, smart TVs, Blu-ray disc players, video game consoles, and streaming media set-top boxes. The more devices you have, the more speed you need.
- How do you use the Internet? If you only have a desktop computer that’s used to check email and surf the net, then a relatively slow Internet connection may suffice. However, if you have a family of people simultaneously using your Internet connection for data-intensive activities — such as streaming HD video and music, online gaming, sharing photos and videos online, video chat, and cloud storage — then you’re only going to be happy with an upper-level speed.
- What are your performance expectations? If you only occasionally watch videos online, you may be willing to tolerate slow load times and buffering. But if streaming HD movies is a cherished part of your routine, you’ll be frustrated by slow speeds and the annoying lag that comes with them. Make sure the Internet speed you choose is in line with the value you place on Internet performance quality.
