Try this handy calculator that shows how much internet you really need
The pandemic has shown us how reliant we could become on the internet. People have been working and educating themselves remotely. Online retailers saw an increase in sales as essential and non-essential items were in high demand.
Speedy internet is important no matter what you do with it. Want to know if you’re getting what you’re paying for? Tap or click here to find out.
Nobody wants to pay for the bandwidth they don’t use, but the hard part is figuring out what is needed. We’ll show you how to calculate this and give advice on what internet speeds you really need.
Just how much interned do you really need?
Internet service providers offer various plans and packages so you can choose what works best for you. You can bundle internet, phone and television service altogether or just the ones you want. Tap or click here for 12 ways to lower your monthly internet, cable and streaming bills.
RELATED: Half of Americans don’t know their internet data caps – How to check yours
Speed plays a large role in determining how much you’ll pay every month for the internet. Your ISP will usually try to convince you to sign up for a pricier plan, and in some cases, it might be worth it.
What do you use the internet for? Is it mostly for answering emails and browsing the web? Do you do a lot of gaming? Here are some guidelines to help you figure out what you need:
- If you have just a few devices connected to your Wi-Fi and use your network mostly for browsing, you can do okay with a plan that has 10Mbps download speeds.
- If you want to watch videos and download media, 25Mbps should be good for you.
- If you participate in online gaming and/or want to stream content, you’ll need 100Mbps or more.
- Whichever plan you go with, make sure to check the data cap – you can be charged for exceeding it.
RELATED: Money-saving tip: Find out if you’re paying too much for internet service
Check out this handy calculator
Consumer Reports just released a tool to help you determine how much bandwidth you need based on what you have. It considers how many devices are using each type of service, such as social media/web browsing, streaming video, streaming music, online gaming, home surveillance systems and more.
Slow internet? The FCC wants to know - Here's how to report it
There are more than 115 million households in the U.S. that currently have broadband internet. That is an incredible amount of people who browse, download and work online. And when things don’t go as they should, it seriously impacts productivity.
Money-saving tip: Find out if you're paying too much for internet service
When you signed up for home internet service, you had to choose from several options. Each plan promises certain download and upload speeds, but how do you know which one is right for you?
Those speeds are a big factor in how much you’ll shell out for the internet each month. Faster capabilities mean higher costs and you’ll pay less for slower speeds. But speed is just one factor when it comes to your internet bill. There are others you might not know about. Tap or click here to change this one setting for faster internet speeds.
Working from home or streaming more? You may be facing a huge internet bill soon
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way many of us go to work every day. Millions of Americans are still working from home, which means they’re relying on their internet connection more than ever before.
More internet activity means increased data usage and potentially higher bills. That’s why many internet service providers took it upon themselves to remove data caps during the early stages of the pandemic. Tap or click here to see how this worked.
7 steps you can take now to lower your internet bill
Your social media feeds are no doubt clogged with hoaxes and misinformation that spread all too easily. Tap or click here for rumors going around Facebook, so you don’t get tricked into sharing them.
On the other hand, your bank account is feeling the strain from all those streaming services you’ve signed up for. Tap or click here for the money-saving advice the streaming services don’t want you to know.
If you're struggling to pay your internet bill, read this
When it comes to finding information about coronavirus, there’s no shortage of online resources. That can include specific infection numbers in your area, tips on going back to restaurants again, when to expect a vaccine and just about anything else you can think of.
7 steps to lower your internet bill
COVID-19 has drastically slashed most Americans’ budgets, and we’re all starting to feel the squeeze. More than 700,000 jobs were lost in March alone, and some analysts believe we’ll hit a national unemployment rate of 20% by June.
Internet providers will keep you connected, even if you can't pay your bill
We’re more reliant than ever on the internet to keep up with what’s going on in the world — especially in the face of a global pandemic like what we’re experiencing with the coronavirus.
There is plenty of solid information online to help track the spreading of the virus, along with what to do if you’re feeling symptoms. Tap or click here for ways to get a coronavirus assessment without leaving home.