It is important that you know how much Internet speed you need (in MBPS) as this means you will not pay for capacity you do not need and you do not get poor Internet service. There are several factors to consider when choosing between different speeds.
Your particular requirements
The capacity you buy should be based on what you use your Internet for. Below is a guide for common home and business Internet applications.
1 to 2 MBPS: This speed is ideal for email, normal web surfing, and social media. As an example, Facebook requires at least 0.03 MBPS when browsing the website, but this increases significantly when you are streaming videos. An email is about 0.075 MBPS in size (without attachments). Skype recommends at least 0.3 MBPS in download and upload speeds to make a 2-way video call.
2 to 4 MBPS: This is ideal for heavier home and office usage such as video conferencing. If you are using the Internet for your home security, you require about 1 MBPS. Streaming music requires about 2 MBPS. A Kindle and other tablets require 3 MBPS.
4 to 5 MBPS: If you use your Internet to stream videos such as Netflix and Showmax, this is the recommended Internet speed. Netflix actually recommends that you have between 0.7 and 5.3 MBPS to enjoy uninterrupted streaming – the higher the speed the better.
5 to 7 MBPS: If you care about the quality of your streaming (for HD video streaming), this is the best bandwidth for you. This is also the plan to go for if you are an online gaming enthusiast and if you are sharing your Internet among several devices.
10 to 25 MBPS: Go for this option if you want heavy HD steaming, if you download large files, and if you connect many devices to the same Internet connection (such as through Wi-Fi).
25 to 40 MBPS: This is required if you have different people with varying Internet needs using the Internet. You will be able to comfortably play online games while the same Internet is being used to stream HD video.
50 MBPS +: This is a very impressive speed that allows you to do such things as video conferencing and remote supercomputing. This speed allows you to do everything at lightning speed.
Upload speeds
Note that most Internet providers in Ontario use the download speed as the major selling point, but you should also consider the upload speed, especially if you use your Internet to upload content. This is particularly important if you are broadcasting live video and uploading large files.
Given the many factors to consider when calculating your Internet speed requirements, this can be a complex task. You can use an online Internet speed calculator to determine exactly what you want. Alternatively, contact your Internet provider Ontario with your requirements and get a recommendation.
So, what is MBPS anyway?
MBPS (megabits per second) is a measure of bandwidth. Bandwidth is the download rate of an Internet service (the maximum speed downloadable).
