What broadband speed do I actually need?

Speed you pay for and speed you need aren't the same thing. Here's a realistic guide to how much download speed different activities and households really require.

Speed by activity (per device)

• Browsing, email, social media: 5–10 Mbps is plenty.
• HD (1080p) streaming: around 5 Mbps per stream.
• 4K streaming: around 25 Mbps per stream — the single biggest driver of demand.
• Video calls (Zoom, Teams): roughly 3–5 Mbps for good HD quality.
• Online gaming: surprisingly little — often under 10 Mbps — but low ping matters far more than raw speed.
• Large downloads / cloud backups: as much as you can get; this is where fast lines really show.

Now multiply by your household

The trick is that these add up when several things happen at once. One person 4K streaming while another is on a video call and a games console downloads an update can easily need 50–60 Mbps combined. As a rule of thumb:

• 1–2 people, light use: 30–50 Mbps is comfortable.
• A family with several devices: 100 Mbps or more avoids slowdowns at peak times.
• Heavy users, home working, lots of 4K: 200 Mbps+ (full fibre) gives real headroom.

Speed isn't the whole story

Two other numbers matter. Upload speed affects video calls, sending large files and backups — full-fibre lines have much better upload than older cable or copper connections. And ping (latency) — the delay before data starts moving — is what makes gaming and calls feel responsive; under 20 ms is excellent.

General guidance only. Actual requirements vary by service and device. The figures above are typical minimums for a smooth experience.