How to Pick a Great Internet Plan

While the internet is almost everywhere, choosing the optimal internet plan can be a knotty undertaking. Listed below are some steps that will help choose the best internet service plan.

The Speed

It is important to understand what internet speed and bandwidth mean, so you can choose the appropriate level of speed that you need.

Usually measured in megabits per second, bandwidth is the maximum rate at which you can download data to your computer from the internet. The more devices you have on the same connection and the more data-intensive activities you generally do, the more bandwidth you’ll need.

For instance, for general web surfing, you’ll only need about 1 Mbps. But to stream videos in HD, you’ll need about 5-8 Mbps.

The Internet Service Provider

Once you figure out what is the right internet speed for you, you can get an idea of which service providers in your area match your requirements.

In most urban areas, you’ll find the option of choosing the internet service via a satellite company, phone company, cable provider, or fiber-optic service. However, in most rural areas, you’re more likely to be covered by a satellite broadband provider, as the service provider options are limited.

Pros and Cons of Available Options

It is important to know the pros and cons of each of these options. For example, the internet service from your cable provider might give you the most reliable and fastest speeds, but this comes at an expensive price tag. If you choose internet service from a phone company over DSL (digital subscriber lines), it will be slower and cheaper. Internet service via a satellite provider is widely available but is slow and expensive. Internet delivery via fiber optics is very fast and reliable, but it isn’t a common method yet. Based on the availability of providers near your location, you can choose the service that delivers your desired bandwidth and fits your budget.