The idea that more speed is always better is carefully maintained by the internet providers. Their entire business model is based on it and they know that the consumer is sensitive to it. But is speed the only thing that matters and how much internet speed do you really need?
The term broadband internet means an internet connection that is fast enough to use the essential online services and that is also constantly ‘up’. The OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) sets the standard at a minimum speed of 256 kbit/s, but at the same time it was reported that the average download speed of a broadband connection in all its member states was 26.8 Mbit/s.
Much more than the 256 kbit/s, and also much more than in the time when ‘internetting’ started by connecting to a provider’s network via a modem and the telephone calls started running. The speed of that time would only be just enough for webmail; social media and streaming movies and music online would be impossible.
Five types of broadband internet
There are five varieties of broadband internet. In addition to fiber optic, cable and dsl, it is also possible to connect to the internet via 4G/5G and via satellite. Internet via satellite is particularly interesting for outlying areas where no other broadband variant is available yet, or for inland vessels and buses, for example. A satellite dish is used for communication, which makes contact with a satellite. A data limit is linked to each subscription; unlimited streaming is therefore not included.
The expectation is that satellite internet will face increasing competition from 4G/5G, the internet that we use on our smartphones on the road, but of course also works well at home. Especially now that a new generation of mobile internet is being rolled out with 5G, with higher speeds and (depending on the subscription) unlimited use. 4G/5G home internet works through a SIM card with a compatible device or using a Wi-Fi router.
There is something to choose
Since we left isdn behind us, all forms of broadband internet have only gotten faster. Whenever it was thought that one of the variants had lost the rack, the next generation came out that was faster than the previous one and was able to transmit the signal over a longer distance.
What really did change, however, was the availability of the various forms of broadband internet, and with it the ability to choose. For many places there was only DSL for a long time, later cable internet was added, but there is now also fiber optic.
So you really have different options: choice for a form of broadband internet, but depending on that choice often also for a provider. Because certainly with dsl and fiber optic, the supplier of the medium is not automatically also the one who provides the services afterwards.
In addition, all providers have multiple packages to choose from. Packages that differ in terms of speed, but which are also distinguished by additional services, such as television and telephony. These 3-in-1 packages or all-in-one packages are often cheaper than individual subscriptions, but the question is whether you need all the services offered.
To make the right choice, you need insight into your current situation. How often do you use the internet and how much data do you use? At what times of the day do you still use a landline or does everything go through your smartphone? Do you still really watch television or is an online subscription sufficient and do you then cast the images to a large screen?
Make an inventory of this beforehand, that may just turn out differently (and cheaper!) than you had envisioned beforehand.
Local initiative
Although the roll-out of fiber optic in the Netherlands is at an unprecedented rate compared to many other countries, there are still countless cities, towns and districts where fiber is not yet available and its arrival has not yet been announced.
If you don’t want to wait any longer, and you like to be in control yourself, see if you can start a citizens’ initiative. It is often the case that one of the installation companies is happy to come by if a certain percentage of the inhabitants indicates that they are interested in fiber optic internet. In such a case, a minimum number of households is agreed and construction starts as soon as sufficient signatures have been collected.
The fiber optic installers usually have a lot of experience with these kinds of initiatives and are happy to help start and implement the campaign. Many citizens’ initiatives are organized in a foundation, sometimes with the participation or support of regional and provincial governments.
Also read: Fiber optic in the Netherlands – These are the plans for the future
How much speed do you need?
The exact speed you need is of course directly related to your use. However, a rough estimate can be made. The speeds below are the download speeds as the providers communicate and as linked to the subscriptions.
- Up to 50 Mbit/s: Sufficient to view websites, read mail, follow social media and stream video with multiple devices. Usually sufficient for families or single households.
- Up to 100 Mbit/s: Ideal for working from home with several people, downloading more and more often with larger amounts of data, watching Netflix with multiple devices at the same time or playing online games. Usually sufficient for households with HD televisions and extensive use of the Internet.
- Up to 400 Mbit/s: Ideal for those who have a 4K television, download a lot, are online with larger groups at the same time and, for example, are also active on the internet themselves and use the higher associated upload speed for this. For average households, a subscription with this speed is not necessary.
- Up to 1 Gbit/s: For when no one in the house wants to feel limited by the internet speed. You can download large files and movies on multiple devices at the same time, play super fast (online) games and stream non-stop in the highest resolution. This subscription is not available for every household.
As is known with dsl and cable internet, that will not be the speed you really get. Only with fiberglass is the speed of the subscription, in theory, actually the speed that is available to you. You are of course still dependent on the activity of neighbors and local residents.
Nevertheless, you have the advantage of the synchronous connection, where the upload speed is equal to that of the download speed. This is especially beneficial if you always work online and share files, or make frequent use of cloud and other online services.
Low boarding
A golden tip for those who do not know what internet speed they need is not to start too high. Rather opt for a cheaper subscription with less speed and determine experimentally over a slightly longer period whether it is sufficient or not. If you immediately take out a high-speed subscription and later find out that you can get by with less, then scaling down is not always possible. With most providers, a subscription can only be adjusted after one year.
If you indicate that you want to pay more for a higher speed, this can usually be arranged immediately. In addition, the providers often offer their customers interesting discounts when they upgrade their subscription to a faster version. If you start high, you will quickly miss out on a few free months or actually pay too much for the entire subscription period. Do you already have a subscription and are you not sure whether you can do it with less, for example if members of the household start living outside the home? Then use the end of the contract period to downgrade and see how you like it.
Insight into usage and performance
In addition to a rough estimate of the required speed, it can also be more accurate. Through their web portal, some providers offer insight into the use, the amount of data that has been received and sent, and sometimes also the spread over the day and days of the week. If that option is not available, many routers from the premium segment offer a similar function. These routers then keep track of usage and consumption throughout the day, and provide insight into this via the web interface or the router app.
As an alternative to a premium router, you can use a fingbox consider. This is a small device that you place in the network and that continuously home network scans and checks. It keeps track of which devices come online or go offline, but also monitors the internet connection. It checks connection stability and speed, but it also collects this data for greater insights.
You can compare the performance of your provider with that of other providers in your village or municipality in the web interface of the Fingbox or the Fing app. The condition is that there are also other users with a Fingbox in your area. For other places, the Fing website allows you to check out the fastest internet providers or those with the least disruption. Unfortunately, Fing has placed these and more advanced features behind a subscription, but it does provide some nice insights.
In addition to usage, it is also relevant to look at the performance of the different providers. The Consumers’ Association reports quarterly on consumer appreciation for the various providers. on www.consumentenbond.nl/internet/beste the provider with the highest rating for speed, stability and the quality of services such as television and telephone is shown, but there is also a more extensive overview with more providers.
The result is the result of the Provider Monitor, in which many thousands of consumers participate. Fiber optic and dsl providers generally score better than the cable providers.
Who is my provider?
One or more connections come in somewhere in your house: for gas, water, electricity and also for the internet. That can be the telephone cable, the television cable, and there may already be fiber optic. Are you moving and do you need to convert the subscription, but you don’t know who the providers are at the new address? Or do you want to start using fiber optic, but you don’t know which provider belongs to the cable? Then look at www.mijnconnection.nl.
This website is an initiative of all network operators in the Netherlands for gas, electricity, water, heat, sewer, as well as media and communication. After you have created an account, you can check here based on zip code and house number of each address who the providers are, and therefore also who you should contact for questions about the cable connection or fiber optic.
Triple and quad play
While selecting the best internet connection is already a big job, it is made even more difficult by the additional services that come with it. Triple play was the combination of internet, television and fixed telephony in one package, but the really big players, such as KPN and Vodafone/Ziggo even offer quad play, with mobile internet and telephony on top. Because they prefer to sell all these services to you, the providers try to make these packages as attractive as possible.
In addition to a competitive price for the entire package, you often also get other benefits, such as more data in the mobile phone bundle and extra television channels. These advantages can make triple and quad play a lucrative choice, but it makes you very dependent on one provider. A separate telephone subscription with another provider can also be cheaper in the end and it is questionable whether you will really use all the extras. You can read more in our article about choosing the best internet provider!
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