The minimum internet speeds for streaming video in 2019

It’s hard to imagine a time before the internet. It now plays such an integral role in our daily lives, many of us feel completely lost without an available connection. In addition to helping us stay better connected through email, instant messaging and social media, increasing broadband speeds have led to the dramatic rise of video streaming services—and the untimely death of the DVD.

Providing users with an entire catalogue of films and TV shows to binge on, the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime are causing many of us to spend our Saturday nights curled up in front of the telly. However, without the required broadband speeds, you’ll spend the majority of your weekend staring at a buffering wheel and failing to make it past the opening credits. When you’re completely hooked on Breaking Bad, such poor connectivity simply will not do.

Fortunately, when choosing your next home broadband package, you can make absolutely certain that your connection is fast enough for reliable streaming. After all, there’s so much great TV these days, you don’t want to run the risk of falling behind.

Why is Internet Speed Important?

When you’ve got a faster internet connection, you’ll be able to do more online. Simple. Improved internet speeds will ultimately increase your bandwidth, allowing the broadband connection to transfer more data to your device at any given time. Since so many households now involve multiple users and devices, faster internet speeds are essential towards ensuring everyone can enjoy clear video streams and smooth browsing experiences.

Insufficient bandwidth is simply incapable of handling high levels of data simultaneously, inevitably leading to slow loading times and the return of the dreaded buffering wheel. Think of it like a tunnel becoming congested with traffic: the wider the tunnel, the more traffic is able to get through.  

How to Check Your Internet Speed

Internet speed is measured in Megabits per second (Mbps), relating to the amount of data the connection can process at once. The speed available to you will depend entirely upon your location and the broadband package you’ve chosen, since different connection types and price plans will undoubtedly provide varying speeds.

You can check on the status of your own connection by running an internet speed test, which will provide you with a measurement for both download and upload speeds. For the purposes of streaming films and TV, you want to pay careful attention to the download speed here, as this is the data you’ll be using when watching any videos online.

What is the Minimum Internet Speed for Streaming Video?

Typically, the recommended internet speed for streaming standard definition (480p) video is at least 3 Mbps. However, the minimum download speed inevitably varies between streaming services, and will need to be significantly higher if multiple devices are likely to be connecting to the internet at once.

What Internet Speed is Required for 4K Streaming?

Streaming better quality video will require much higher broadband speeds. HD video (720p or 1080p) streams require a bandwidth of at least 5 Mbps, while the best internet speed for 4K streaming is a minimum of 25 Mbps. However, for a truly smooth and uninterrupted service, your connection will likely need to be much faster than this, since streaming in Ultra HD 4K can quickly result in bandwidth congestion.

Instead of opting for a broadband package which just offers the minimum download speed, you need to take other devices into account and make sure you’ve got at least 25 Mbps left over to handle a seamless 4K stream. For those with multiple users in their household, this can require internet speeds of at least 60 Mbps, depending on what those other users are doing online.  

Want to stream 4K in a busy household? For just £38.99 a month, the Zen Unlimited Fibre 2 package provides average download speeds of 66 Mbps!

What Internet Speeds Do You Need to Stream Netflix in 2019?

The download speeds required to stream Netflix hinge completely on the quality of the video. Users wanting to stream standard definition video can do so with just 3 Mbps, while HD streams will require at least 5 Mbps and Ultra HD needs 25 Mbps. According to the Netflix Help Center, just 0.5 Mbps is required to actually start a video stream, but anything under the recommended 1.5 Mbps will undoubtedly lead to poor video quality.  

According to Statista, 70% of UK people currently stream video from Netflix, making it the most popular video streaming platform in the country, while there are around 150 million active subscribers around the world. So, if you’re planning on using the internet to stream video, ensuring you have the best Netflix speeds is likely a top priority. 

Minimum Speed Requirements For Popular Streaming Services

However, not everything is about Netflix, and there are plenty of other fantastic video streaming services just waiting to be explored. To make sure this exploration always runs smoothly, you’ll need to make sure you’re clued up on each provider’s minimum download speeds.

BBC iPlayer: Minimum Speed Requirements

According to the BBC website, iPlayer programmes can be streamed in standard definition with download speeds of just 1.5 Mbps, while HD video can also be enjoyed with 5 Mbps. Following a brief 4K trial, there are sadly no Ultra HD streaming options currently available.

YouTube: Minimum Speed Requirements

Google state that YouTube videos can be streamed in standard definition for just 500 Kilobits per second (Kbps), with live events requiring at least 1 Mbps. To watch YouTube in HD, 720p videos require a minimum of 2.5 Mbps, while those in 1080p need at least 4 Mbps. A number of videos can also be viewed in 4K Ultra HD, but require 15 Mbps to play smoothly.

NowTV: Minimum Speed Requirements

All NowTV programmes can be streamed at up to 720p, and they recommend a bandwidth of at least 2.5 Mbps to enjoy their service completely lag-free.

Amazon Prime Video: Minimum Speed Requirements

Amazon Prime videos need just 900 Kbps to be streamed in standard definition, but you’ll need a bandwidth of 3.5 Mbps to upgrade the picture quality to HD. Although Netflix needs 25 Mbps to stream in 4K, Amazon Prime can stream Ultra HD video with just 15 Mbps—the same as YouTube.

Twitch Viewers: Minimum Speed Requirements

As a Twitch viewer, the minimum speed required to watch a stream will completely depend on the resolution of your chosen streamer’s broadcast. However, 720p and 1080p streams are by far the most popular, so you’ll need download speeds of at least 4 Mbps to watch the more popular streams. To start your own live broadcast, Twitch recommends upload speeds of between 3-6 Mbps.

How Much Data Does Streaming Video Use?

When it comes to choosing your home broadband package, you’ll need to decide whether to go for unlimited broadband or a package with limited data allowance. Although deals with limited downloads are typically cheaper, they simply aren’t a viable option for anyone planning to regularly stream videos online—particularly in HD or 4K resolutions.

Limited broadband will cap the amount of data you can use in a month, and it’s incredibly easy to go over this allowance when streaming your favourite TV shows. Of course, every online activity (from checking your emails to browsing Amazon) will eat away at this allowance, but video streaming will drain it incredibly quickly.

For example, a basic package might offer you 10GB of data to use in a month. According to Netflix, a standard definition stream will use around 1GB every hour, while a 4K stream will use up at least 7 GB. So, after watching just a couple of films, that allowance is already looking incredibly thin indeed; while we wouldn’t even bother trying to watch something like Return of the King. When your broadband usage is so limited, there’s very little point in actually subscribing to a streaming service to begin with.

Looking for unlimited broadband? Check out our range of fast broadband packages from just £28.00 a month!

How Zen Can Help

It doesn’t matter whether you’re streaming video through a smart TV, tablet, desktop or smartphone. Whatever your chosen device, you’ll always need a fast internet connection. After all, there’s nothing worse than a jumpy, temperamental video feed, especially when you’re desperate to find out what happens after a particularly jaw-dropping cliff-hanger.

Zen provides a range of reliable broadband packages to make sure the show always goes on. Our standard fast ADSL connection is perfect for casual browsers who want to keep up on their favourite series, while our unlimited super-fast fibre packages are ideal for busy households packed with binge-watchers and TV addicts.

Either way, Zen has always offered something a little bit different. Check broadband availability in your area or contact a member of our team to learn how we provide a better broadband experience!