With the internet service providers offering a wide range of broadband plans these days, choosing the best one for yourhome might appear overwhelming. The network speed you choose will determine yourinternet experience. If the plan is good, you will able to download the content quickly and use online streaming services without interruption. Depending on your application you can easily pickan ideal broadband plan for your home.

What is network speed?

It indicates the data transfer speed that can be attained with the home internet connection. It is measured in Mbps or megabits per second. This is an indicator of the number of bits transferred in a second. It allows you to get a rough picture of the time taken to download a particular file size. When you compare the different broadband plans on offer you willnotice a difference in pricing based on the Mbps value or the network speed offered.

Here is how to choose the ideal internet speed for your application -

1. Based on the application

   For casual internet browsing, sending and receiving emails,an internet speed of5Mbps or less would work just fine. This might often be the network speed offered post the consumption of the allotted data limit for the month. But when you have to download content or watch HD movies, you need a speed close to 10Mbps. The higher the speed, the more convenient it would be to handle video calls. For people working from home, students taking up online classes and families that love to stream movies and TV shows online, broadband plans over 100Mbps speeds might get the job done. This would ensure that simultaneous video calls can be carried out from different devices. And you will be able to download several large files frequently. Reliable network speeds would also ensure that there is no data loss while downloading content.

2. Based on the number of users

   The network speed is also an indicator of the bandwidth allotted for the home network. So, you can easily make a decision on the basis ofthe number of devices you wish to connect to your home network. Basic internet speed of around 25Mbps would be sufficient only when there are one or two devices accessing the internet. Speeds over 100Mbps would be the ideal choice when there are smartphones, laptops, and other gadgets accessing the network. Itwould make sure that three to four devices can be connected to the network, and they can all simultaneously access the bandwidth without affecting the performance. In households whereseveral smart gadgets connected to the network, choosing speed over 200Mbps would be a good decision. Consistency in the network speed across various connected devices depends on the router used for Wi-Fi connection. The maximum speed supported by the router is also a factor that cannot be ignored.

   Irrespective of the broadband plan you choose, network speed might be impacted by the following factors-

   1. The router you use for Wi-Fi connectivity
   2. Location of the router
   3. Type of router – dual-band vs single band
   4. Congestion in the network from multiple simultaneous connections

Besides the bandwidth or network speed, ping time and network latency are other crucial factors to consider. These aspects can greatly impact your entertainment experience. Gamers might also notice a drastic improvement in their gameplay, especially with online games played, on a desktop or laptop. Higher speeds up to gigabits per second would make streaming 4K content on large screen televisions hassle-free.