What internet speed do you need?
Your household size and simultaneous use give you a realistic bandwidth range in Mbit/s – so you don't pay permanently for performance you don't use.
The Speed-Advisor looks at simultaneous use rather than individual devices. The result is a guide range, not a promise of availability.
What the calculator is based on
We disclose the calculation so that you can follow and adjust it. It is based on around 18 Mbit/s per person in the household, plus a supplement for each activity that regularly runs at the same time. The total is rounded up to the next common tariff tier.
These values are deliberately conservative and describe simultaneous use, not the peak load of a single application. A 4K stream on its own needs less than the figure suggests — it only becomes critical when several things run in parallel.
- Per person in the household: around 18 Mbit/s
- 4K streaming: + 30 Mbit/s
- Cloud and large uploads: + 45 Mbit/s
- Working from home with video: + 20 Mbit/s
- Gaming: + 10 Mbit/s
How to use the result
Compare offers within the recommended range. Only choose the higher tier if it solves a specific bottleneck or costs hardly any more. Check upload, latency and stability as well.
What the figure doesn’t tell you
The range tells you which bandwidth to look for — not which is available at your address, and not what the connection will actually deliver. For availability you need the address check; for actual performance, the figures in the product information sheet (Produktinformationsblatt).
Your home network also limits the result: over Wi-Fi, the full booked rate rarely reaches the device. If things are sluggish in everyday use, the Wi-Fi is more often to blame than the tariff.
Frequently asked questions
Does a faster internet tariff help with poor Wi-Fi?
Not necessarily. If the wireless connection in your home is the bottleneck, a higher tariff may leave the problem unsolved. First compare performance over a network cable, and check the router location and Wi-Fi coverage.
How many Mbit/s do I need for working from home?
For video calls, a stable connection and enough upload matter more than a high download rate. In many households, medium bandwidths are enough for this, as long as several people aren't on video calls and streaming at the same time. So check upload and latency separately from the advertised download figure.
Is a higher speed tier always better?
Only if it solves a specific bottleneck. If your line is already faster than your household uses at any one time, a higher tier makes little difference day to day. The cause of slow internet more often lies in the Wi-Fi, the router position or a single device.
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