Broadband
What Broadband Speed Do I Really Need?
Bigger isn't always better. Most UK households are paying for speed they'll never use. Here's the honest breakdown.
The rough rule
Allow about 25 Mbps per heavy user (4K streaming, video calls, online gaming). Add 5 Mbps per light user (browsing, music, social).
By household
- 1–2 people, light use: 36 Mbps is plenty.
- 2–4 people, mixed use: 100–150 Mbps hits the sweet spot.
- 4+ people or serious WFH/gaming: 300–500 Mbps.
- Smart home, multiple 4K TVs, content creators: gigabit.
Upload speed matters too
If you do video calls, livestream, or back up to the cloud, upload speed is what stutters first. Full-fibre plans solve this — they’re symmetric or near-symmetric.
01Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
For most homes, yes. Unless you have 5+ heavy users or do heavy uploads, 150–500 Mbps feels identical day-to-day.
It usually isn’t — your Wi-Fi is. Test over Ethernet; that’s the true line speed.