Ever since people began working from home, internet speed and quality became even more of a priority. So, if you live in an area with fibre, it makes sense to upgrade.

Having an uncapped fibre internet connection allows you to do more, like streaming and not worrying about how much data you’re using, tuning into web-based conferences or video calls, and sending and receiving large files.

It also aids with cloud backups, so your work and gadgets are always backed up should anything happen to them. These work well when they’re set to back up around midnight when you’re asleep.

It’s also important to understand your needs so you don’t end up paying for more than what’s necessary for your household. If you’re still working from home, then pay particular attention to upload speeds.

While you may not require the fastest speed available, here’s an indication of what speed would most suit your home:

• Up to 5Mbps – ideal for basics like checking email, searching on the web, and streaming audio via your smartphone. Zoom says you need at least 3Mbps for 1080p HD calls.
• 5-40Mbps – for video streaming on your personal device, playing online games for one and tuning into video calls. Netflix says you need at least 5Mbps to stream HD content, whereas Twitch says you need 8Mbps for high-quality streams.
• 40-100Mbps – allows for high-quality streaming on multiple devices, playing multiplayer online games, and downloading large files. Again, Netflix says 25Mbps is needed for 4K ultra-high definition (UHD) content.
• 100-500Mbps – suitable for high-quality streaming (UHD) on multiple devices, multiple-player online games, and fast file downloads.
• 500Mbps-1Gbps – at this ridiculously high speed you can do just about anything while ensuring UHD on all your devices for multiple users in a household.

Now that you have a better idea of what speed is suitable for various tasks, here are the benefits of having fibre internet:

• Speed: This is the most obvious reason for fibre connectivity. With a 100Mbps line you can download a music album in seven seconds, or a two-hour movie in HD quality in five minutes or 4K UHD in 27 minutes.
• Reliability: Fibre is stronger than copper, making it more reliable. Whether you’re working from home or an office, you want to avoid unnecessary downtime. The weather also has no bearing on fibre; to get damaged, it would need human interference.
• Unlimited bandwidth: Although fair usage policies are in place, bandwidth is usually unlimited on fibre packages. You should be able to comfortably stream content without hitting any data caps before month-end, as was often the case in pre-fibre days.
• Symmetrical speeds: This is also key to fibre connectivity. As mentioned earlier, if you work from home and need to share data-intensive files, make sure you have, for example, a 25Mbps up and down speed.

Find out more about Vodacom's Home Internet options