What broadband speed do you actually need?

It depends how many people and devices are active at the same time. Light use (1–2 people) often fits 50–75 Mbps download. Typical families (3–4 people) with HD/4K streaming and some gaming usually need 150–300 Mbps. Busy homes (5+ people) or heavy use often benefit from 250–500 Mbps or more. We use 5 Mbps per HD stream and 25 Mbps per 4K stream as planning numbers. See Sources and references.

We use a demand-first model: we estimate your peak simultaneous download and upload from your answers, apply research-backed assumptions (e.g. 5 Mbps per HD stream, 25 Mbps per 4K; Zoom/Meet/Teams for calls; Nest for cameras), then add headroom. Upload is weighted because many UK tiers have lower upload. Tiers are 0–150, 150–250, 250–500, 500–1000 Mbps and 1 Gbps+. See Sources and references and “How we calculated this” after the questionnaire.

We plan at 25 Mbps per 4K stream for headroom. Netflix recommends 15 Mbps for UHD, YouTube 20 Mbps for 4K, Disney+ 25 Mbps for 4K. Two 4K streams plus other use typically need 150–250 Mbps or more. See Sources and references.

For smooth HD video calls, aim for at least 15–25 Mbps upload. Zoom 1080p uses about 3.8 Mbps upload; Google Meet up to 3.6 Mbps each way; Microsoft Teams about 1.5 Mbps per endpoint for 1:1 video. If more than one person calls at once, aim higher. See Sources and references.

We use about 2 Mbps upload per active 1080p camera as a planning midpoint. Several cameras plus normal use typically need 150–300 Mbps download and 20–50 Mbps upload. Choose plans with enough upload for your number of cameras. See Sources and references.

Wi‑Fi, peak-time congestion or line limits can reduce real-world speed. Providers often quote average speeds at peak time (e.g. 8pm–10pm for home). Ofcom’s decent broadband USO is 10 Mbps down and 1 Mbps up. Test by Ethernet: if that’s fine, the bottleneck is Wi‑Fi; if not, speak to your provider or consider switching. See Sources and references.

Add at least 25–40% above your estimated peak. This covers bursts, Wi‑Fi loss and busy-time contention. If your estimate lands near the top of a tier, move up one tier. See Sources and references.

For video calls (Zoom, Teams, Meet) and typical browsing, 30–50 Mbps download and 10–20 Mbps upload often suffice. If you have multiple calls, large uploads or cloud backups, aim for 50–100 Mbps down and 20–30 Mbps upload. Use the questionnaire for a tailored estimate.

Two HD (1080p) calls typically need about 15–25 Mbps upload and 30–50 Mbps download. Aim for at least 50 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload for comfort. See Sources and references for provider-specific figures.

For many families (2–4 people) with HD streaming, browsing and some video calls, 100 Mbps can be enough. If you have 4K streaming, several devices or heavy uploads, 150–300 Mbps is often a better fit. Use our questionnaire to check.

For light to moderate use (a few streams, some calls, browsing), 500 Mbps is often more than you need. It becomes useful for busy households with multiple 4K streams, heavy uploads and many devices. Our tool helps you avoid overpaying.

Initial full backups need the most; 20–50 Mbps upload is often enough for ongoing backups without slowing the rest of the household. If you back up large volumes daily, choose a package with higher upload. See the questionnaire upload question.

20–30 Mbps upload is usually enough for sending large files (e.g. video, design files) without long waits. For very large or frequent uploads, 40 Mbps or more helps. Check your provider’s upload when comparing deals.

Downloads benefit from higher download speed; 50–100 Mbps is fine for most game updates. For households with others streaming or calling at the same time, 150 Mbps or more reduces contention. Latency (ping) matters more for live play than raw speed.

Services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and GeForce NOW typically recommend at least 20–25 Mbps download for 1080p, and 35–50 Mbps for 4K. A stable connection and low latency matter as much as speed. Use our questionnaire and add headroom if others are online.

Under 20 ms is excellent for UK servers; 20–50 ms is good for most games. Above 80–100 ms you may notice lag in fast-paced or competitive play. Ping depends on your line, router and distance to the server, not just your package speed.

Faster broadband can help if your current speed is too low for the game and other traffic. Lag is often caused by latency (ping), congestion or Wi‑Fi, not raw Mbps. Upgrading may not fix lag if the bottleneck is elsewhere. Test by Ethernet to see if Wi‑Fi is the issue.

Wi‑Fi uses shared spectrum, walls and distance reduce signal, and older devices may use slower standards. Test with a device connected by Ethernet to the router; if that’s fast, the limit is Wi‑Fi. Improving router placement or using a mesh system often helps. See FAQ on router placement.

Not always. If the bottleneck is your Wi‑Fi (router, layout, interference), upgrading your broadband package may not improve speeds on wireless devices. Fix Wi‑Fi first (placement, mesh, Ethernet where it matters), then choose a package that matches your actual needs.

Central and raised (e.g. on a shelf), away from thick walls, metal and other electronics. Avoid cupboards and corners. If you have fibre to the premises, the modem may need to stay near the incoming cable; use a separate router or mesh for better Wi‑Fi coverage.

Yes. Testing over Ethernet (cable from device to router) shows the speed your line can deliver. Wi‑Fi tests show what that device gets over the air and can be lower. Use an Ethernet test to see if slow speeds are due to the line or to Wi‑Fi.

Full fibre (fibre to the premises, FTTP) runs fibre all the way to your home, so speeds and reliability are less affected by the old copper line. Part fibre (fibre to the cabinet, FTTC) uses fibre to the street cabinet and copper to your home; max speeds are usually lower and depend on distance.

No. Video calls and HD/4K streaming work on part fibre or a good full-fibre connection if the speed tier is sufficient. Full fibre can offer higher uploads and more stable latency, which helps with multiple calls and uploads. Use our questionnaire to see what speed you need.

More people are online at once, so networks and broadband lines can be busier (contention). Providers often quote “average speeds at peak time” (e.g. 8pm–10pm). See Sources and references and Ofcom’s guidance on what to expect.

It is the speed available to at least 50% of customers at peak time (e.g. 8pm–10pm). So many customers get less. Ofcom and the ASA set rules so ads are not misleading. Check your provider’s traffic management and minimum guaranteed speed. See Sources and references.

A speed your provider guarantees you will get; if you consistently get less, you may have a right to leave without penalty (check your contract). It is usually lower than the “average” speed in adverts. Useful when comparing deals.

Report it to your provider and ask them to fix it. If they cannot and you are consistently below the minimum guaranteed speed, you may be able to leave without an early exit fee (check your contract and Ofcom’s guidance). Test by Ethernet to rule out Wi‑Fi.

Yes. Use your recommended download and upload range when comparing UK packages (e.g. on comparison sites). RightSpeed does not sell broadband; we help you work out what speed you need. For deals, see SearchSwitchSave.com or other trusted comparison tools.

1080p is Full HD resolution (1920×1080 pixels). It is common for TV, iPlayer and video calls. For broadband planning we use about 5 Mbps per HD (1080p) stream and about 3.8 Mbps upload for a 1080p video call. So when we ask about HD streaming or call quality, 1080p is the higher-quality option that uses more speed.

4K (Ultra HD) is 3840×2160 resolution — four times the pixels of 1080p. Services like Netflix, Disney+ and YouTube need more bandwidth to deliver 4K. We plan at 25 Mbps per 4K stream for headroom. So two 4K streams already need about 50 Mbps download before other use, which is why 4K pushes the recommended tier up.

Upload speed is how fast you send data: video calls, cloud backups, sending large files, and security cameras uploading to the cloud. Many UK packages have much lower upload than download. If your upload is too low, video calls can stutter and uploads can slow everyone else. Our calculator ensures the recommended tier meets both your download and upload needs.

Broadband speed is what your line can deliver to your router (often tested by Ethernet). Wi‑Fi speed is what you get over the air to phones, laptops and tablets. Wi‑Fi can be lower due to distance, walls and interference. So your package might be 150 Mbps, but a device in another room might only get 50 Mbps on Wi‑Fi. When we recommend a tier, we mean the broadband line; good Wi‑Fi setup helps you get the most from it.

Headroom is extra capacity above your estimated peak use. It covers bursts, Wi‑Fi loss and busy-time contention so your speed doesn’t drop when everyone is online. We add about 25–40% headroom depending on your answers. If your estimate sits near the top of a tier, we may suggest moving up one tier for more headroom.

FTTC (fibre to the cabinet) is part fibre: fibre runs to the street cabinet, then a copper line to your home. Speeds depend on distance and are usually lower than full fibre. Full fibre (FTTP, fibre to the premises) runs fibre all the way to your home, supporting very high speeds and uploads. Full fibre is less affected by distance and typically gives more consistent performance. See also Full fibre vs part fibre.

For a typical family of four with HD streaming, browsing, and some video calls at the same time, 100–150 Mbps download and 20–30 Mbps upload is often a good fit. If you have 4K streaming or heavy uploads, 150–300 Mbps gives more headroom. Use the questionnaire for a personalised recommendation.

Most UK households do not need gigabit (1000 Mbps). It is useful for very busy homes with many 4K streams, heavy uploads, and lots of devices at once. Our tool helps you avoid overpaying; many families are well served by 150–300 Mbps. Check your usage with the questionnaire.