If you need a textbook example of misleading marketing, just look at what some ISPs have to say about gigabit internet service.
Cable companies would have you believe that speeds above 1 Gbps are essential for modern internet usage. Cox’s website says the gigabit connection “allows you to multitask” and suggests it’s essential for “scrolling through your Instagram feed on your phone while simultaneously streaming Netflix and surfing Amazon Prime on your laptop.” Likewise, Comcast says, consider gigabit speeds “if your family likes to stream movies and TV while playing bandwidth-intensive games and downloading the latest apps to your smartphone.”
To keep this article family friendly, the term I will use for these claims is “exaggeration”. Gigabit speeds are too high for the vast majority of Internet users, but as more people ditch cable TV and close their homes to remote work, ISPs have seen a golden opportunity to push unnecessary upgrades with greater profit margins. So it’s no wonder they’re using gigabit internet crap.
Why gigabit internet can be overkill
Consider the facts:
- Netflix recommends a download speed of 25 Mbps for 4K HDR video. That means you’ll need 40 simultaneous streams to make full use of a gigabit connection — 10 times more than Netflix’s 4K plan allows.
- Zoom recommends a speed of 3.8 Mbps for 1080p video conferencing. Bandwidth will only become an issue if you have more than 263 simultaneous video calls.
- Tidal claims a maximum bitrate of 9216 Kbps for master-quality streaming audio. You’d need to stream to more than 108 devices at once to run out of bandwidth on a gigabit connection.
Gigabit internet may also require additional hardware investment. If you have your own cable modem, you’ll need one with DOCSIS 3.1 support to get gigabit speeds from most providers. Some routers, including older Eero models, do not support gigabit speeds.
Anecdotally, I was quite happy with the 200 Mbps from Spectrum. A few years ago when I was negotiating a lower price from the company, I even turned down their “free” 400Mbps upgrade offer because I didn’t want to face a steep price increase after that promotion expired.
I’m writing this because I’ve heard from many people who believe that higher speeds will eliminate buffering and other connection issues. The fact is that in most cases these problems can be solved with the same speeds on a better Wi-Fi router.
All that said, there are some scenarios where gigabit internet service makes sense. If you’re going to spend extra, it should be for one of several specific reasons:
Gigabit Rationale 1: You need faster download speeds
Ironically, the biggest reason for paying for gigabit internet has nothing to do with gigabit speeds. Instead, you may need a faster cable internet plan to get better download speeds for backing up data or participating in video calls. While download speeds can vary by cable ISP, they tend to be slower than what you get for download speed, leading to more noticeable bottlenecks.
For example, a plan with Comcast that has a 200 Mbps download speed only offers a 10 Mbps download speed. Just to double that download speed to 20 Mbps, you’ll need to upgrade to a more expensive gigabit plan.
Unfortunately, this is a common problem among cable providers due to the way they build their networks, so you’ll find similar “asymmetric” speeds on Spectrum and Cox. (They also take pains to hide this sad fact from new customers.)
But even if it’s the ticket for faster downloads, gigabit service can still be overkill. I found that the Spectrum’s 10Mbps download speed was good for two simultaneous Zoom sessions. If you have a fiber optic internet provider in your area, this issue probably doesn’t apply. Verizon and AT&T both offer equal upload and download speeds for fiber service, so you can safely stick to sub-gigabit plans.
Gigabit reasoning 2: You have a specific use case in mind
To see if I’m missing something, I recently asked people on Twitter what actual use cases exist for gigabit internet service, and I got some interesting answers.
KTLA tech reporter RIch DeMuro he said he has to transfer huge video files on a daily basis for his broadcast TV work, so gigabit speeds come in handy. Consumer Reports’ Nicholas De Leon he said it likes to download PC and console games faster. A computer consultant named “Max”. he said he needs the speed to back up his clients’ computers every night.
These all sound like legitimate use cases, but they’re also pretty specific. They also assume that whatever server you connect to also supports gigabit speeds, which isn’t always the case. (This becomes painfully clear when the PlayStation 4 needs a major software update.)
Gigabit rationale 3: You want bragging rights
Even if you can’t think of a specific use for gigabit internet, maybe you just want the satisfaction of having the fattest data pipe available. That way, if any high-bandwidth applications emerge, you’ll be well prepared, and at some level, you’re creating a market for those use cases in the first place.
As a techie myself, I won’t deny anyone the right to push the boundaries of technology. Just be under no illusions about what you’re paying for.
This column originally appeared in Jared’s Advisorator newsletter. Sign up to get tech tips in your inbox every week.