Almost every picture problem with IPTV comes down to one question: can your broadband keep up with what you are asking it to do? The good news is that the maths is simple, and most UK homes have more than enough speed. Here is how to check.
Speed per screen
| Picture quality | Recommended speed per screen |
|---|---|
| Standard definition (SD) | 5 Mbps |
| High definition (HD) | 10 Mbps |
| 4K / Ultra HD, where available | 25 Mbps |
These figures include some headroom. A stream might use less on average, but it needs spare capacity for busy scenes such as sport, where the picture changes quickly.
Add up your household
Speeds add up. If two people watch HD at the same time, you need about 20 Mbps for TV alone. Then allow for everything else on the connection:
- Video calls: about 3 to 4 Mbps each.
- A games console downloading an update: it will take whatever is spare.
- Phones backing up photos over Wi-Fi.
A simple rule: add 10 Mbps per HD screen, then another 10 to 20 Mbps for everything else. A household watching on two screens is comfortable on about 40 Mbps.
What UK broadband typically gives you
- Copper ADSL (now rare): often under 10 Mbps. Fine for one SD stream, little else.
- Part-fibre (FTTC), the most common type: usually 30 to 70 Mbps. Enough for two or three HD screens.
- Full fibre (FTTP) and cable: 100 Mbps and well beyond. Plenty for 4K on several screens.
If you are on an older package, check whether full fibre has reached your street. It is often no more expensive than what you pay now.
How to test your real speed
The speed in your contract is a maximum, not what reaches your TV. Test properly:
- Use the device you watch on, in the room where you watch.
- Open a speed test in its web browser, or in a speed test app.
- Run it at the time you usually watch, for example 8 or 9pm on a weekday.
- Repeat it next to the router. A big difference between the two results means the problem is Wi-Fi, not your broadband.
Wi-Fi versus a cable
Wi-Fi loses speed through walls, floors and distance, and British houses with solid brick internal walls are particularly hard on it. If the TV is far from the router:
- Use an Ethernet cable if you can. It is the most reliable fix by a distance.
- Powerline adapters carry the connection through your electrical wiring and work well in many homes.
- A mesh Wi-Fi system spreads a strong signal across a larger house.
- Use the 5 GHz band when the device is fairly close to the router. It is faster but has a shorter range than 2.4 GHz.
When speed is not the problem
If your test shows plenty of speed but the picture still stutters, look at the router (restart it), the app (clear its cache, update it) and the device (an old stick may struggle with 4K). Our buffering guide covers these step by step.
Try it on your own connection
The surest test is the real thing. Request a free trial and watch at your usual time on your usual screen. If it runs smoothly, choose a plan knowing it works in your home.