HOLIDAY 2017
11
How much speed you need depends on your answers
Questions to AskWhen
Picking an Internet Plan
T
here’s no single “best speed” when
it comes to internet service, which
is why choosing a plan can be confusing.
The speeds that work fine for your
neighbor might not be even close to what
your household needs, since there are
many factors to consider and differences
in how people use the internet.
To help you figure out the best internet
plan for you, answer these questions:
What are your current download
and upload speeds?
Download speed is the speed at which
you can get information from the web to
your device. Upload speed is the speed
at which you can send information from
your device to the web.
You can test your internet speed for free
at
www.speedtest.net. That way, you’ll
know where you are now with your
internet connection.
How many internet-connected
devices do you have in your home?
Add up all the computers, tablets,
smartphones, smart TVs, Blu-ray disc
players, video game consoles, streaming
media devices, and smart home moni-
toring/automation equipment you use.
According to survey results released by
Pew Research in May 2017, the typical
(median) American household contains
five of them, and nearly one-in-five
American households are “hyper-con-
nected,” meaning they contain 10 or
more of these devices.
The more devices you have, the more band-
width/speed you need. Since bandwidth is
shared by every user and device connected
to your home network, multiple online
demands going on simultaneously will
require an internet plan with speeds at
the higher end of the spectrum. Remem-
ber, even background processes like
software updates use your bandwidth.
How do you use the internet?
If you only have a desktop computer
that’s used to check email and surf the
net, then a relatively slower internet
connection (such as 10 Mbps) may suf-
fice. However, if you have a family of
several people simultaneously using your
internet connection for data-intensive
activities—such as streaming HD video
and music, online gaming, sharing photos
and videos online, video chat, and cloud
storage—then you’re probably going to
be happiest with speeds in roughly the
50-200+ Mbps range.
What are your internet
performance expectations?
Let’s say you only occasionally watch
videos online. In this case, you may be
willing to tolerate slow load times and
buffering. But if streaming HD movies is
a cherished part of your routine, you’ll
be frustrated by slow speeds and the
annoying lag that comes with them.
Make sure the internet speed you
choose is in line with the value you
place on internet performance quality.
Do family members or
houseguests complain about
your internet connection?
If your answer to this question is
“Yes,” it’s a sign that you might need
more bandwidth/speed. However, it’s
important to note that other factors
can also negatively impact your inter-
net performance.
For example, if your wireless router is
outdated, you may not be getting the
speed you expect from your plan. Some
older routers have a speed cap limiting
the maximum internet speed possible.
Replacing your router may be all that’s
necessary to get the speed you need to
keep everybody happy.