Did you know that there are over 330 million internet users in the USA alone? The internet is a key part of the infrastructure for our business, shopping, and recently our social life.
If you are wondering whether you are getting the best deal that meets your internet usage needs, why not read on?
Internet Usage
The first thing to determine is how you are and plan to use the internet. This has likely changed in the last year. In early 2019 most people used the internet for entertainment at the weekend and IoT devices. However, since COVID-19 struck, they are using the internet for socializing and crucially secular work.
If you are working from home, you may not even have a reliable internet connection with traditional means. If this is you, what can you do? Why not consider Beam internet technology? It is specially designed for people who live off the beaten track.
A Basic Guide Per Need
So now you know your needs, how much internet should your package include? Here is a simple rule of thumb:
If you are using the internet simply for email, you will likely need the minimum connection – 1 Mbps upload and download. However, if you also stream non-HD media, you should upgrade this to a 3 Mbps upload and a 5 Mbps download allowance.
Are you a gaming enthusiast? You will likely need a 3-6 Mbps upload speed and up to 25 Mbps download to handle those graphics.
Probably, however, the average user will need much less. If you use email, and sometimes video conference calls a simple 2 Mbps upload and 10 Mbps download allowance should suit you just fine.
Have you ever wondered why upload and download speeds are important?
Upload Speed vs. Download Speed
In general, when you walk into an internet provider’s store, they will give you a general figure for internet speed. However, this is likely the download capacity that they are offering to you.
If you are a regular user, upload speed plays a significant role too. If your work-from-home arrangement includes the sharing of large files you will need a significantly higher upload capacity than the provider offers.
This will also be true if you are working with files that are stored on the cloud and you download them to edit them. In general, the upload speed offered is about 1/10 of the download speed offered. However, you will want to check with your provider to be sure.
The Right Deal to Meet Your Internet Usage Needs and Much More
In the world of COVID-19, the internet could well be your only link with the outside world. Ensure that you always have enough internet capacity by monitoring your internet usage and negotiating the best deal possible with your provider.
If you are interested in learning more about lifestyle and technology topics, why not check out our other blog articles. We release new articles each week that we know will help our readership.