Broadband Speed Guide
Understanding broadband speeds and finding what you actually need for your household.
What is Mbps?
Mbps stands for "Megabits per second" – it's the standard measurement for internet speed. The higher the Mbps, the faster data can be transferred.
Download Speed
How quickly data comes TO your device. Important for streaming, browsing, and downloading files.
Upload Speed
How quickly data goes FROM your device. Important for video calls, uploading files, and gaming.
Speed Tiers Explained
Standard Broadband
10-30 Mbps
Good for:
- ✓ 1-2 light users
- ✓ Basic browsing
- ✓ SD streaming
May struggle with:
- ✗ Multiple devices
- ✗ 4K streaming
- ✗ Large downloads
Superfast Fibre
30-70 Mbps
Good for:
- ✓ 2-3 users
- ✓ HD streaming
- ✓ Video calls
- ✓ Casual gaming
May struggle with:
- ✗ Large households
- ✗ Competitive gaming
- ✗ Content creators
Ultrafast Fibre
100-300 Mbps
Good for:
- ✓ 4-6 users
- ✓ 4K streaming on multiple TVs
- ✓ Working from home
- ✓ Online gaming
May struggle with:
- ✗ Very large files
- ✗ Professional content creation
Gigabit-capable
500+ Mbps
Good for:
- ✓ 6+ users
- ✓ Multiple 4K streams
- ✓ Competitive gaming
- ✓ Large file transfers
May struggle with:
- ✗ Nothing - handles everything!
Minimum Speeds by Activity
Note: These are minimum recommended speeds per device. Multiply by the number of devices using the internet simultaneously for your household's total need.
Our Recommendation
For most UK households with 3-4 people, we recommend packages offering 100-150 Mbps. This provides headroom for multiple devices streaming, gaming, and video calling simultaneously.
If you have a large household (5+ people), work from home with large file transfers, or are a serious gamer, consider packages offering 300 Mbps or more.