Price vs. Speed: Choosing the Best Broadband Provider for Your Home
Like many technologies, broadband service can be a bit confusing to learn about. Choosing the best provider for your home might initially seem like an impossible task, especially if you aren't familiar with many of the unique terms associated with these services. Fortunately, picking the right service provider doesn't need to be a challenging task.
When browsing a provider's plans, there are a few pieces of information you'll need to choose the plan that's best for you. In most cases, you'll be deciding between speed and price, although a few other factors might come into play. Before selecting a plan, follow these three simple tips.
1. Determine Your Broadband Needs
Broadband providers measure their service speeds (or bandwidth) in megabits per second (Mbps). This rating provides you with a rough idea of how quickly you can download data to your home connection, but what does it mean? In general, around 25 Mbps is sufficient for streaming even very high-quality video; 3-5 Mbps is the minimum for acceptable streaming quality.
Additional speed will allow you to stream to more devices in your home. This also means you can still use your internet for other things while performing high bandwidth tasks, such as streaming video or playing games. Higher speeds will also mean quicker download times and faster display of hard-to-load webpages that include multimedia elements.
2. Consider Additional Equipment
Using broadband requires you to install a modem in your home. The modem acts as a bridge between your devices and the internet. In the past, you'd need to either plug your devices directly into the modem or install a router to create a local area network (LAN) for your home.
Today, most internet services provide integrated modem/routers to make setting up your own network much more accessible. Make sure the plan you choose includes one of these integrated devices, and it has the features you need. In most cases, you'll want to make sure that you're getting a modem that can support Wi-Fi so that you can wirelessly connect devices such as laptops, tablets, and phones.
3. Pay Attention to Data Limits
Some providers impose monthly data limits and may charge more or reduce your speeds when you exceed the limit. In most cases, these limits are generous and don't impact average users, but it's still a good idea to be aware of them. Top-tier plans often increase or eliminate data limits, so these higher-end options are worth considering if you're concerned about overages.
Deciding on the best plan for your home is ultimately about balancing the speed and features you need against your budget. Although higher-end plans may cost more, they can ultimately provide you with a smoother, more enjoyable home internet experience.
Contact a professional in your area if you have any further questions about home internet services.