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Is internet speed (mbps) overrated?

JohnnyBGoodJohnnyBGood Member Posts: 1,443 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited August 2017 in General Discussion
My wife and I were paying $172/month for cable tv and internet. She only watches one local channel and all I care about is catching the news for about a half hour a day. So I bought a HDTV antenna and we ditched the cable but kept the internet.

http://forums.GunBroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=697716

So, how much did the cable company want just for internet? They wanted $89! We asked why so much and they blah-blahed about how they have the fastest available speed blah-blah-blah. So we dumped them altogether and went with a company for about $25 less but a slower speed.

I ran a speed test with the old company before disconnecting them, and it was 61 mbps download and 5 mbps upload. The new company is 16 download and 1.5 upload. And guess what? Neither me or the wife notice any difference with surfing the internet. All she does is some online shopping (Macy's, Penny's, etc.), facebook, and some short youtube videos. And I just visit gun forums/websites, do email, and read news articles and videos.

It would appear to me, if you don't do anything exotic on the internet (streaming movies, gaming, etc.) you don't need a 500 Magnum mbps speed. Sort of like having a 500 horsepower car you drive once a week to go grocery shopping down the block. You don't need it and don't get the full potential from it!!

Comments

  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have FRONTIER COMMUNICATIONS DSL way out here in the weeds. I am SUPPOSED to get 1 Mbps, I am paying for 1 Mbps (34.95/mo). I get about 300 Kbps down load and 200 Kbps or so upload, on a good day. Most evenings even Netflix can't be watched because it buffers so much.

    You have it AWESOME!
  • Old-ColtsOld-Colts Member Posts: 22,697 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    For what you are using the internet for I doubt that you'll notice much difference at all. If you started streaming high definition movies or downloading a lot of large files or got into gaming you'd probably see a noticeable difference.

    If you can't feel the music; it's only pink noise!

  • droptopdroptop Member Posts: 8,363 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    TV / WiFi enabled. Watch Youtube on TV. Use computer for internet.

    This is FAST, FAST, FAST (for me). Clams couldn't be happier.

    Why so happy,, this was me, three years ago.
    bpost: I am SUPPOSED to get 1 Mbps, I am paying for 1 Mbps (34.95/mo). I get about 300 Kbps down load


    This is me TODAY (not is U.S.) costing $25 per month, unlimited. [:D][:D]
    speed_test_aug_2017.JPG
  • CaptFunCaptFun Member Posts: 16,678 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Way back AT&T was ripping me $40 for 3 MPS down 1.5 up, but could not go faster then Comcast brought me 8 down 4 up for the same price. Now, AT&T brought me fiber to the phone board in the basement. I'm paying for 50 bu usually getting 100 or more. All that for $20 less than comcast. I can get up to 1000 Mbps depending on how much I want to pay.

    6543006290.png
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