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If you choose an unlimited broadband deal, it means you’ll never need to worry about how much you download each month. Streaming films and TV shows, browsing the internet, checking emails, video calling and gaming all require downloading – it’s what you’ll use the internet for the most.
In comparison, uploading is for anything you put on the internet, such as posting a photo on Instagram. This is why you’ll read more about a provider’s download speeds than its upload speeds, and you can expect the upload speed of your package to be much slower than your download speed. After all, you’ll be downloading much more often.
Several factors determine your download speeds, including where you live and the speeds offered by your provider and your plan. These days, most providers don’t put a cap on how much data you can download each month. The exceptions to this rule are often no-contract broadband deals or mobile broadband deals.
Everyone benefits from unlimited broadband – it’s a service that gives you complete freedom over your internet usage. However, some people need this type of broadband more than others. These include:
If you want to check your current data usage to decide if you need unlimited broadband, try the following options:
Most broadband providers allow you to check your data usage in your account. This information can be found online or in the provider’s dedicated mobile app.
In addition to checking your usage, you can often manage your usage by setting up parental controls or time limits.
It’s likely that your router has an online interface that will allow you to check your data usage. To log in, you’ll need the router’s IP address.
To find your IP address on a Windows device, go to “Settings”, select “Network & Internet”, and choose either “Wifi” or “Ethernet”. You’ll find your IP address in “Properties”.
On a Mac, go to “System Settings”, then “Network”, and choose “Wifi” or “Ethernet”. You’ll find your IP address under “Details”.
Mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, may have built-in data usage features. You can typically find this information in the device’s settings in the “Network & Internet” or “Data usage” sections.
Certain third-party apps, such as My Data Manager, GlassWire and DataEye, allow you to track your internet usage on your mobile devices. These apps usually have other features, such as the ability to set manual data limits and restrictions on individual apps.
The majority of broadband users (63.7 per cent) described their data usage as “moderate”, according to our survey of more than 2,000 people. Moderate usage includes streaming, scrolling social media and generally browsing the internet.
If you’re wondering how much broadband data you use for different internet activities, we’ve broken it down for you below.
| Activity | Data usage |
|---|---|
| Browsing the internet for one hour | 180MB |
| Sending/receiving 100 emails | 40MB |
| Streaming 10 songs | 80MB |
| Streaming a video for one hour | 429MB |
| Online gaming for one hour | 30-300MB |
| Streaming a standard-definition film for two hours | 1.9GB |
| Streaming an HD film for two hours | 4.2GB |
Unlimited broadband plans are considered the norm now because so many providers offer them. This means that there are lots of package options available.
When providers first started offering unlimited broadband, some plans still technically had a cap on monthly downloads or a fair usage policy that limited the number of downloads available. Truly unlimited broadband is a broadband service with no download cap and a fair usage policy.
A fair usage policy caps your internet activity and downloads to ensure that the internet available for other users in the area isn’t limited. This means that the internet usage of heavy users, such as people who regularly game or stream HD films, may be limited if their activities affect the internet connections of people around them.
Luckily, fair usage policies aren’t very common anymore. This is because fibre and full fibre broadband have a much higher capacity for downloads and faster internet speeds than traditional ADSL broadband.
Broadband deals are constantly changing, but some of the cheapest deals from nationally available providers are offered by NOW and Plusnet, with packages costing between £22 and £26 per month. However, the cheapest packages have lower download speeds. For example, the NOW Broadband Full Fibre 75 deal offers speeds of 69 to 75 megabits per second (Mbps).
Many providers have introductory offers that slash the monthly price for the first six months or year of your contract. It’s always best to look at every provider you’re interested in to make sure that you’re getting a good deal and reaching the speeds you need for your internet usage.
Find the best unlimited broadband deals for your household with Independent Advisor.
Social tariffs, also known as broadband for low-income families, are cheaper broadband packages offered to families or households on Universal Credit or other benefits from the government. Some packages have a monthly download cap, while others offer the same unlimited broadband packages as their non-social tariff plans. For example, BT Home Essentials offers unlimited broadband from £15 a month for low-income families and those on benefits.
You should be able to find unlimited broadband without a landline. It depends on the providers available in your area and whether you can access full fibre broadband.
With unlimited broadband, your download speeds can range from slow (35Mbps) to ultrafast (3 gigabits per second (Gbps) with a plan offered by Community Fibre). The actual speed, however, depends on what broadband is available in your area and the plan you decide to pay for. Usually, the faster your broadband is, the more expensive your plan will be.
