Digital entertainment and communication are no longer supplementary additions to our homes and routines. Whether it’s binge-watching your favorite TV series on Hulu, live-streaming online video games on Twitch, or attending Zoom meetings for work, streaming has become an essential part of our daily lives.
To experience smooth, uninterrupted streaming, with pristine video quality and undistorted audio, you need more than just a decent internet speed—you also need the right amount of bandwidth. So, how much bandwidth do you actually need for streaming, especially movies and television?
Below, GRM Networks examines the different factors each household should consider to help you determine the right internet plan for your needs.
Bandwidth for Streaming TV and Movies
Few things are more frustrating than relaxing at the end of a long day, only to struggle to enjoy a TV show because of buffering. When this happens, it’s a sign that it may be time to upgrade to fiber internet or increase your speed plan.
General recommendations for download speeds per single device streaming are as follows. If you stream in Full HD (1080p), which many streaming services like Netflix now do, you’ll want between 8-to-10 Mbps just for that one online activity. If you want even more magnificent picture quality in your streaming, such as 4K Ultra HD (2160p), the speed requirement nearly triples to 25 Mbps or more per device. (If you have two smart TVs streaming in the house simultaneously, you need to multiply the recommended numbers by two. If there are four smart TVs streaming at once, multiply by four, etc.)
For a single smart TV streamer, a lower speed tier plan likely provides enough bandwidth to suffice. However, once you add other devices, and people using them at the same time, significantly more bandwidth is needed, and thus a higher speed tier to deliver it.
Consider this example: a family of four has four smart TVs all streaming at 8 p.m. in different rooms. If everyone wants to stream in 4K Ultra HD, that requires a minimum of at least 100 Mbps just to meet the demands of bandwidth for the higher definition simultaneous streaming. It also doesn’t consider any other online activities those four streamers may be doing such as video chatting with their friends or watching videos on their phones or tablets. Once you add in scrolling through YouTube or TikTok videos, even more bandwidth is used by the household.
Other smart devices, such as smart doorbells and security cameras use bandwidth, as do smart speakers and smart appliances. Each of these uses bandwidth in the background just to operate properly. Due to the number of smart devices operating at the same time, a much higher speed is needed to achieve the quality streaming you expect. That is why many households need a minimum of 300 Mbps to 500 Mbps plans.
Budgeting Bandwidth
It may be helpful to think about accounting for bandwidth the way you budget for monthly groceries and other bills. Figuring the number of simultaneous streamers and online activities and multiplying accordingly should give you a rough figure of what your household’s speed plan should be.
Always budget for extra bandwidth to accommodate multiple users such as guests, future tech upgrades like a new smart TV with state-of-the-art picture quality, new interests such as online gaming or unexpected demands like remote and hybrid working opportunities. It’s better to have more speed than you need than not enough when it matters most.
Like you, we understand that streaming is no longer a luxury; it’s practically a way of life for entertainment, work productivity, learning, and more meaningful communication through video calling. GRM Networks is ready to enhance your home’s streaming capabilities by helping you determine the best speed plans to fit your unique needs and budget.