How Much Bandwidth Does Streaming Use?

The best shows deserve to be streamed to your TV in ultra-high definition clarity – that means 4K resolution! After all, the last thing you want is to have to sit through the climactic scenes of your favorite media with blurry images and stuttering.

Streaming is directly tied to your Internet bandwidth; the more bandwidth you have, the better your streaming experience will be. But how much bandwidth do you need for 4K streaming, and how can you get it? Below, you’ll find the answers to these questions and more.

 

Bandwidth Explained

Put simply, bandwidth is the total data capacity that can be transmitted across an Internet connection. The higher the bandwidth, the greater the amount of data that can go “down the line” from an Internet network to your computer, phone, or TV.

Though they’re very closely related, bandwidth isn’t quite the same thing as raw Internet speed, which is measured in megabits per second or “Mbps.” Think of it this way:

• Internet data is “water” rushing from an Internet service provider to your home.
• Your Internet speed is how fast the water is going.
• Your bandwidth is the size of the pipe or tunnel the water travels through.

You can have ultrafast Internet speed, but if your bandwidth isn’t high enough, you won’t see stellar surfing or streaming results. You need both high-bandwidth and fast Internet speed to enjoy top-tier streaming, especially if your family likes to stream video content on multiple devices simultaneously.

 

What Bandwidth Do You Need to Stream?

These days, a lot of video content is streamed in SD or “standard definition” resolution. Streaming like that requires Internet speeds of about 3 Mbps to avoid fuzzy images, low frame rates, or other visual issues, along with standard definition bandwidth. But some streaming service providers use auto adapting resolution to provide the best viewing experience your connection can handle in the moment you’re watching it, based on speed and available bandwidth.

The better the quality of your visual content, the more Internet speed and bandwidth you need at the same time. You can tell how much bandwidth you need by the minimum Internet speed you require – for instance, if you want to watch HD video content, you need an Internet speed of 5 Mbps, so your bandwidth has to be at least this good (or preferably better to leave a little wiggle room).

 

What is 4K Streaming?

4K streaming means streaming videos at a resolution four times as detailed as “standard FHD resolution.” Video resolution is measured in pixels – for FHD standard resolution, that’s 1920 x 1080p video. Therefore, 4K video is streamed to your screen of choice with 3840 x 2160p resolution.

Put even more simply, 4K streaming is super high-quality, high-detail video streaming for your favorite shows and Internet content! It's a great choice for fans of popular shows and anyone who likes seeing as much detail on screen as possible.

That said, 4K streaming does come with a higher bandwidth cost. Transmitting that much data from an Internet network or streaming service like Netflix requires a ton of information, so your Internet connection needs more bandwidth to get the job done. You’ll also need unlimited data to avoid overcharges, plus reasonably fast Internet speed so you don’t experience lag or stuttering while watching.

 

What’s the Minimum Bandwidth Required for 4K Streaming?

To stream your favorite video content in 4K resolution, you'll need an Internet connection with at least 25 Mbps of bandwidth – in other words, it should be able to transmit 25 Mbps of data back and forth without delay.

However, it’s never a wise idea to settle for the bare minimum. If you have other devices connected to the Internet or you want to do something else online while streaming a show in 4K resolution, you’ll need more bandwidth to facilitate all that extra data flowing back and forth. Here’s an example:

• You want to watch the newest episode of a show in 4K quality. As noted above, this requires at least 25 Mbps of bandwidth.
• In the midst of the episode, you also want to watch some behind-the-scenes videos about the show on YouTube. This takes 5 Mbps of bandwidth.
• Therefore, you need Internet with more than 25 Mbps bandwidth – in fact, it’s often best to get as much bandwidth as possible.

To ensure you have enough bandwidth for 4K streaming, look for Internet providers that offer 4K bandwidth or “4K UHD” bandwidth. That means those connections are rated to let people consistently stream in 4K quality.

 

Aim for a Minimum Speed of 25 Mbps

Similar to bandwidth, most streaming services recommend a minimum speed of 25 Mbps for streaming 4K video quality shows and movies. But once again, this is only the minimum speed requirement – faster speeds are better for your viewing experience, for multitasking, or for several people using your Internet connection simultaneously.

 

More Devices? You Need More Bandwidth

The more devices you have in your household, the more bandwidth you need to ensure smooth and speedy Internet connectivity for each of them.

Imagine each device as a faucet that takes water from a mainline. The more faucets drawing water at once, the more water needs to be flowing down the line to prevent trickling or water running out. You can get that with faster water speeds or a wider mainline (the bandwidth, in this metaphor).

So, if your household usually has a few different devices connected simultaneously, like a laptop, TV, and a few smartphones, opting for an Internet plan with ultra-high-definition bandwidth is a great idea. The more bandwidth your home network has to work with, the less likely it is anyone will experience slow download or streaming speeds from their data usage.

 

Gigabit Speeds Are Ideal

Want to make sure you always have enough bandwidth and download speed to stream in 4K resolution? Go for a “gig-speed” Internet plan.

Gig-speed plans offer gigabit download rates – 1 gigabit (1 Gbps) is the same as 1,000 megabits (1,000 Mbps) – and very high bandwidth to match. Providers like Shentel offer these plans specifically to ensure easy, lag-free streaming no matter how many people in your household want to download, text, chat, or stream at the same time.

 

How to Tell What Your Internet Bandwidth Is

Internet bandwidth is often measured in tandem with Internet speed, so many free Internet speed tests are excellent tools to learn both. A few examples include:

• Ookla Speedtest
• TestMy.net
• Fast.com
• Google, which has its own test when you type “Internet speed test” into your search bar

The faster your speed and the greater your bandwidth, the easier you’ll be able to enjoy 4K quality movies and shows. But what if your speed and bandwidth aren’t enough?

 

How to Get More Bandwidth

In that case, you may need to get more bandwidth. There are two ways in which you can do this:

• Reduce the number of devices using your Internet connection at the same time – for instance, when the family gets together to watch a movie on Netflix, make sure no one else is connected to the Internet.
• Switch providers and get a plan with faster speed and greater bandwidth.

The second option is a better choice in the long run. You can always use more speed and higher bandwidth, and switching providers may bring you more convenience for all your online activities.

 

Wrap Up

All in all, you’re best off getting the most Internet bandwidth possible for 4K streaming and much more. With Shentel, you can get speeds and bandwidth ranging from 150 Mbps all the way to gig speeds (with your first month free, too). To get started and enjoy surfing and streaming like never before, contact Shentel today.