Connection fit tool
How much download and upload speed does your household need?
Model the busiest hour, when streams, calls and transfers overlap. The answer is a planning range, not a promise that any provider can serve your address or that more bandwidth fixes latency.
Interactive worksheet
Model your busiest hour
Count only activities that overlap. Download and upload are calculated separately; a faster download tier alone cannot fix weak upload, high latency, or poor Wi-Fi.
How many 4K videos play at the same time? Uses YouTube's published input as a planning example.
How many HD videos play at the same time? Uses YouTube's published input as a planning example.
How many people send and receive full-HD calls at once?
Optional self-estimate for large downloads or other apps. It is not a provider guarantee.
Enter your target for cloud backup, file sharing or live broadcasting while other activities run.
Adjustable cushion for changing usage and network variation; 25% is this worksheet's starting assumption, not an official provider requirement.
Your planning range
Add an activity or your own load to see a planning estimate.
Before paying for a faster tier
Compare a wired speed test with Wi-Fi near the problem device; check router placement, signal, congestion and device limits. Calls and gaming also depend on latency, jitter and packet loss, which this bandwidth model cannot calculate.
Published inputs and our assumptions
These per-activity inputs come from specific video services. Other apps, picture settings and devices may differ. We add only the activities you say happen simultaneously, then apply your chosen planning headroom and round each target up to the next 5 Mbps. Headroom is an editorial planning assumption, not an official plan requirement.
| Activity at the same time | Download | Upload | Primary source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4K YouTube streams | 20 Mbps | Not modeled | YouTube requirements |
| HD YouTube streams | 5 Mbps | Not modeled | YouTube requirements |
| Full-HD group video calls | 3 Mbps | 3.8 Mbps | Zoom requirements |
Real-world speed can differ from advertised speed, especially over Wi-Fi or at a congested hour. Check upload separately on the provider's plan details, and confirm availability at your address.
See the internet-service choice guide for technology, reliability and budget tradeoffs.