Need vs Speed

With the ease and availability of online streaming becoming increasingly popular, the speed at which your household connects may need to be revisited. For example, the number of Netflix subscribers increased from 26 million in 2012 to 109 million in 2017.

Some simple math can help you choose the ideal broadband speed for your household. Below are a few examples of data speeds.

HD video stream = 5Mbps download
ULTRA HD 4K video = 25Mbps download
Xbox One = 25 Mbps download minimum
YouTube = varies

When streaming YouTube videos, the total video will be downloaded at the maximum available bandwidth until the entire video has been downloaded. As a result, your connection can be taxed by the YouTube content depending on its size, quality, and length. The same principle applies when watching most other video content online.

Gaming systems are becoming more dependent on your broadband connection download and upload speeds. HCC recommends a hardwired connection of at least 25/3 Mbps per Xbox One or PS4 gaming system.

For non-gamers a good scale to use is that you should have 10Mbps  per user, depending on how each person uses the internet. So if you’re thinking about adding some new tech gear this holiday season, give us a call at 360.898.2481. Our knowledgeable representatives will help you figure out if you already have enough speed or if it’s time to consider an upgrade.