Most people overestimate their need for speed. CDE Lightband shares some insight on how much internet speed you may need according to your family size.
One important thing to remember is that there is a difference between upload and download speed.
- Upload speed refers to how quickly your connection can SEND data.
- (i.e. uploading photos to Facebook or emailing files)
- Download speed refers to how quickly your connection can RECEIVE data.
- (i.e. streaming videos or surfing the internet)
Below are some basic internet activities and how much speed they require.
Streaming Video
- Services such as Netflix, Hulu, or YouTube use the most bandwidth.
- Netflix recommends 3 Mbps of download speed for SD streaming, 5 Mbps for HD streaming, and 25 Mbps for 4K streaming per device.
Online Gaming
- Playing games online can use as little as 100 Kbps (.1Mbps) of data.
Wi-Fi-Based Security Systems
- Security systems and cameras constantly use your internet speeds and require good upload and download speed.
- Depending on your equipment, they use anywhere from 0.15 to 4 Mbps of bandwidth.
Video Chatting
- Video chats, such as Facetime or Skype, need 1-4 Mbps.
- You will need at least 1 Mbps of upload to ensure that you are sending a quality video.
Zoom
- Since many individuals are still using Zoom for virtual meetings:
- Group calling only uses 1.2 Mbps
- High-quality video uses only 600 Kbps
CDE Lightband offers a 100% Fiber Optic Network that provides you with the fastest and most reliable network. Our symmetrical speeds, which are the same speed for uploads and downloads, start at 250 Mbps and can go all the way to a full 1 gig of internet. This is more than enough for a family of 5 using all their devices at once.
For more information about speed recommendations, contact CDE Technical Support today at (931) 648-8151.