Do I need unlimited broadband?
There really aren’t any limited broadband deals to speak of in the market right now, and though they may come back at some point – they do poke their heads in from time to time – chances are it’ll be impossible for you to find a deal that isn’t unlimited.
Should you get an unlimited broadband deal then? Yes. You will probably have to. Just in case there are some limited deals floating about when you read this or when you go to look, though, let’s take a quick look at who should consider unlimited broadband a must.
- Medium to large households – Frankly, if there’s more than one of you, you probably need unlimited broadband. You may even need it if you live solo, if you also happen to be someone who likes a lot of Netflix, gaming or other intensive online stuff
- Gamers – If you or anyone in your household is a gamer, you’re going to need unlimited broadband to download your games. Likewise, game streaming is now a thing with services like Google Stadia and PlayStation Now. You can stream gameplay live over the web just like a Netflix movie, but it consumes a lot of data
- Streamers of movies and TV – You might say ‘I don’t use the internet all that much, do I really need unlimited?’ Then you might go and binge a box set on Netflix, Now TV, Amazon Prime Video or wherever and find that you would have just used your entire month’s allowance if you were on a typical limited broadband deal. If you want to enjoy streaming without any hitch, have a look at our guide to streaming services
- Home businesses – When you rely on a business broadband connection, the last thing you want is for it to come to a grinding halt because you've hit your limit. If you run a business from home that relies on internet connectivity, you will always need an unlimited deal
- Everyone – This is the point, really. There are almost no cases where we would recommend a limited deal over an unlimited one
Types of unlimited broadband
Unlimited broadband is where there are no limits on the amount of data you can download each month. There may, however, be some rules that mean you won’t get the best speeds all the time, or that your connection may be stunted after you download a certain amount of data. Below is a list of the three types of broadband limitation.
- Limited broadband – This where you have a monthly limit on the amount of data you use on your broadband connection. You may be familiar with this if you have a smartphone with a data limit. Typically, your provider will warn you if you are reaching near your limit. This type of broadband deal is incredibly rare these days and it’s highly unlikely you’ll find one.
- Unlimited broadband – This is where there is no limit on the amount of data you can use each month. However, one or two providers have traffic management and/or fair usage policies that may limit your speed during peak hours, or curtail the amount of data you’re allowed to download at the maximum speed your line is capable of, should you download in excess
- Truly unlimited broadband – Most unlimited broadband deals are ‘truly unlimited’. This means that no matter what you’re doing with your broadband, at what time of day, and how much, your provider will always endeavour to provide you with the speed you’re paying for. Few broadband providers use the term ‘truly unlimited’ anymore, as it’s pretty much the norm. But if you see it, that’s what it means
