We all need the internet, but wish we didn’t have to pay for it. Since free internet isn’t possible (yet!), it’s important to know how much you should be paying for your internet service.
What Should Your Internet Bill Be
An average package for internet service in the US is around $50/month during initial promotional offers and then is raised to about $60/month after the promotional period ends. Before you go accusing your internet provider of charging too much, keep in mind that this average doesn’t take into account additional fees or bundle discounts.
What Should Your Internet Speed Be
Generally, internet speeds of 25 mbps are good for basic surfing, with a little streaming thrown in. You might experience some buffering during peak hours or when there are more people at home. If you’re worried about that happening, get a faster internet package.
The average speed that is advertised on internet-only packages in the US is about 290 mbps, but don’t worry if you don’t see speeds that fast in your area. The average speed is skewed by a high number of gigabit internet packages that are offered in certain areas but not available everywhere. If you don’t have internet speeds like that in your area, don’t worry about it; most people don’t need that much anyway.
How Much Internet Speed Do You Need
To understand this, you need to focus on two factors:
– The number of devices that will be using your internet connection at the same time.
– The activities those devices will be performing.
Once your internet reaches your home or work, the connection is shared with all the devices connected to your network. The more devices you have, the more speed you’ll need, to work efficiently. How your household uses the internet also makes a big difference. Activities that require a lot of data, such as HD streaming, require a faster internet speed to work well.
These two factors can cause your speed needs to greatly add up. Logically, three people streaming in HD will require more speed than one person streaming in HD, even if that one person is also simultaneously browsing social media.
Installation, Setup, and Activation Fees
These fees can be sneaky but they’re not invisible: you should know of any up-front costs included with your agreement before you commit. Depending on how much they are, they could drastically change the pricing.