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What internet speed do I need for streaming?
Whether you’re watching a game live, bingeing a killer series or settling in for a 4K movie night, the right internet speed can help keep the action running smoothly.
3 minute read
Find a streaming speed that keeps up with you
It’s not just what you stream, but how you stream. Watching in 4K asks more of your connection - especially when others are streaming, gaming or on a video call too. If your household is doing more online and the demands are causing drama, it’s worth asking whether your current plan and speed are still cutting it.
Suffering from buffering? Signs your internet may not be keeping up
You’re ready to watch, but the spinning wheel has other ideas. Maybe someone else is streaming in another room. Maybe there’s a video call happening at the same time. Or maybe you’ve simply outgrown the speed you’re on.
If your current setup is not keeping up, you may notice a few signs:
- Buffering: shows or movies regularly pause to load
- Video quality drops during busy times
- Streams take longer to start
- Performance slows when others are gaming, working or video calling
- Some rooms have worse streaming quality than others
As a simple rule, lighter streaming households may be comfortable on lower speed tiers, while larger households or 4K streamers may benefit from faster plans.
Streaming, not screaming: why your internet speed matters
Higher-quality video, like 4K, takes more capacity than HD. And when other people are watching, gaming and jumping on video calls too, then things can get choppy.
The right streaming speed can take care of that by giving your household more digital breathing space, so the movie night doesn’t have to compete with everything else online.
Use the guide below as a starting point, then check what’s available at your address.
- HD streaming: good for everyday viewing on one screen, plus browsing and lighter household use.
- Full HD streaming: useful for homes where a few people stream, browse or video call at the same time.
- 4K streaming: better suited to larger TVs, higher-quality viewing and busier households.
- Multiple streams: consider a faster plan if several people stream, game or work online at once.
So: what’s the right speed for my streaming needs?
Put simply, the more people, devices and glorious picture quality your home internet is handling at once, the more speed you may need.
nbn®, 5G Home Internet and Satellite Internet powered by Starlink can all support streaming, but the right option depends on what's available at your address and how your household uses the internet.
Here’s a quick look at the different internet plan speeds and what kind of streaming they support:
nbn® internet:
- Basic nbn® - 25 Mbps download and 4 Mbps upload speeds; supports 1-2 people streaming shows in standard definition or a single HD stream.
- Essential nbn® - 50 Mbps download and 17 Mbps upload speeds; supports streaming shows in HD on more than one device and limited gaming.
- Premium nbn® - 500 Mbps download and 50 Mbps upload speeds; supports streaming movies in ultra-high quality 4K and shows in HD on other devices.
- Ultimate nbn® - 750 Mbps download and 40 Mbps upload speeds; supports streaming in ultra-high quality 4K and HD on other devices, plus low-latency gaming and smooth video calls.
- Ultrafast nbn® - 875 Mbps download and 80 Mbps upload speeds; supports streaming in ultra-high quality 4K and HD on multiple devices, plus one 8K stream, low-latency gaming and smooth video calls too.
5G and Satellite Internet:
- Basic 5G Home Internet - 19-23 Mbps download and 4-5 Mbps upload speeds; supports 1-2 people streaming shows in standard definition, or a single HD stream.
- Essential 5G Home Internet - 38-47 Mbps download and 3-21 Mbps upload speeds; supports 3-5 people streaming shows in HD, working and browsing.
- Premium 5G Home Internet - 62-632 Mbps download and 5-98 Mbps upload speeds; supports 3-5 people streaming multiple movies in HD and a single stream in ultra-high quality 4K.
- Telstra Satellite Home Internet plan - 170-320 Mbps download and 20-40 Mbps upload speeds.
Check your address and compare available plans
Download speeds are typical busy period speed ranges 7-11pm. Speeds experienced may be lower due to factors including modem and cabling and in-home set-up/wiring. Premium, Ultimate and Ultrafast nbn plans for FTTP and HFC connections only. 5G service in select areas and for eligible customers only. Limited number of services available per postcode. 5G speeds experienced may be slower over Wi-Fi and can also be impacted by other factors such as the distance and line of sight between the serving 5G mobile tower and the modem, the number of users online, where your modem is located and how far you are from it, weather, congestions and your in-home set up.
Estimated average/typical busy period speeds/ranges are for new 5G Internet services only. Average/typical busy period speeds/ranges for existing 5G Internet services may be slower. Your Starlink antenna needs an unobstructed view for optimal performance. Typical speeds may vary due to factors like Starlink antenna location, satellite congestion and network prioritisation. Severe weather can briefly disrupt service. If you cancel, change tech type or to an Internet Only plan, within 24 months, simply return your modem or pay a $200 non-return fee.
What else can affect your streaming quality?
Your plan speed matters, but so does what’s happening at home. If what you stream is still buffering even on a faster plan, here’s what’s worth a look:
- Wi-Fi coverage: rooms further from your modem may get a weaker signal
- Modem age and placement: an older model modem or poor placement can affect performance
- Busy periods: performance can vary when more people are online across the network
- Device capability: older devices may not support the latest Wi-Fi or streaming standards.
Choose the right speed for how your household streams
Let’s recap: start by thinking about how your household uses the internet day to day:
- Do several people regularly stream, game or video call at the same time?
- Do you mostly watch in HD, or ultra-high quality 4K?
- Are you steadily adding more streaming devices to your home network?
Once you've got a feel for your household's streaming habits:
- Check which internet services are available at your address – nbn®, 5G Home Internet or Satellite Internet.
- Find out what speeds and plans are available on those services.
- Choose a plan that can keep up with the number of people, devices and activities happening online at the same time.
With the right plan and speed, you can spend less time watching the buffering wheel and more time getting stuck into your next binge-worthy series. Or blockbuster instalment. Or cat video compilation.
Frequently asked questions
Short answer: yes. 4K (ultra-high definition) streaming is a bit hungrier for data than HD, so it uses more of your internet capacity. How much capacity you've got to play with really comes down to your plan speed.
- Got a few people streaming in 4K at once? That'll ask more of your connection.
- Gaming, video calls and other connected devices in the house all add to that demand as well.
- If you’re getting buffering, you may need fast speeds.
To see if you can upgrade to a faster speed, check your address.
It depends on your plan speed. The faster your plan, the more it can support high-demand activity like streaming, video calling and low-lag gaming. These Telstra plans support streaming and other activities:
- Premium nbn® - 500 Mbps download and 50 Mbps upload speeds; supports multiple people streaming in ultra-high quality 4K as well as gaming and video calling.
- Ultimate nbn® - 750 Mbps download and 40 Mbps upload speeds; supports multiple people streaming in ultra-high quality 4K and HD, low-lag gaming and smooth video calls.
- Ultrafast nbn® - 875 Mbps download and 80 Mbps upload speeds; supports multiple ultra-high quality 4K and HD streams plus one device streaming in 8K, as well as low-lag gaming and smooth video calls all at once.
- Premium 5G Home Internet - 62-632 Mbps download and 5-98 Mbps upload speeds; supports streaming multiple movies in HD and a single stream in ultra-high quality 4K.
You can check your address and compare plans to find a plan match for the way your household uses the internet.
Download speeds are typical busy period speed ranges 7-11pm. Speeds experienced may be lower due to factors including modem and cabling and in-home set-up/wiring. Premium, Ultimate and Ultrafast nbn plans for FTTP and HFC connections only. 5G service in select areas and for eligible customers only. Limited number of services available per postcode. 5G speeds experienced may be slower over Wi-Fi and can also be impacted by other factors such as the distance and line of sight between the serving 5G mobile tower and the modem, the number of users online, where your modem is located and how far you are from it, weather, congestions and your in-home set up. If you cancel, change tech type or to an Internet Only plan, within 24 months, simply return your modem or pay a $200 non-return fee.
A faster plan can help, but buffering is not always caused by internet plan speed alone. Other factors that can affect streaming quality include:
- Wi-Fi coverage throughout your home
- Poor modem placement
- Network busy periods
- Older devices that don't support newer Wi-Fi standards.
A few simple changes around the home can make a big difference to streaming quality. Explore our tips to improve your home internet and Wi-Fi performance.
The right internet speed depends on how your household uses the internet day to day. Start by thinking about:
- how many people regularly stream, game or video call at the same time
- whether you mostly watch in HD, or prefer higher-quality 4K streaming
- how many connected devices are using your home internet at once
- whether people are working, studying, gaming and streaming at the same time.
Once you've got a feel for your home’s usage, check what's available at your address and choose a plan to match those habits.
It depends how many people in your house are online at once. Here's a quick look at which nbn speeds support streaming and gaming:
- Basic nbn® - 25 Mbps download and 4 Mbps upload speeds; supports 1-2 people streaming shows in standard definition or a single HD stream. It’s not recommended for gaming.
- Premium nbn® - 500 Mbps download and 50 Mbps upload speeds; supports 6-9 people streaming in ultra-high-quality 4K and gaming at the same time.
- Ultimate nbn® - 750 Mbps download and 40 Mbps upload speeds; supports 6-9 people streaming in ultra-high-quality 4K and low-latency gaming on multiple devices.
- Ultrafast nbn® - 875 Mbps download and 80 Mbps upload speeds; supports 6-9 people with multiple devices streaming in ultra-high-quality 4K, one device streaming in ultra-high-definition 8K and multiple devices low-latency gaming.
To find the right speed for your streaming and gaming needs, compare Telstra our plans.
Get tips for choosing the right speed for gaming in our gaming connectivity article.
Speeds are typical busy period speeds 7-11pm. Speeds experienced may be lower due to factors incl. modem and cabling and in-home set up/wiring. We're still calculating typical busy period upload speeds 7pm-11pm on Ultrafast plan - the information here is an estimate only. Premium, Ultimate and Ultrafast plans for FTTP and HFC only.
The streaming speeds you can get depends on your address and whether you can nbn®, 5G Home Internet or Satellite Internet. To find out what’s available to you, check your address.
Here are the main Telstra plans and their streaming speeds:
- Basic nbn® - 25 Mbps download and 4 Mbps upload speeds; for small households browsing and everyday streaming.
- Essential nbn® - 50 Mbps download and 17 Mbps upload speeds; for medium households HD streaming and limited gaming.
- Premium nbn® - 500 Mbps download and 50 Mbps upload speeds; for busy households streaming in 4K and low-latency gaming.
- Ultimate nbn® - 750 Mbps download and 40 Mbps upload speeds; for high-demand households streaming in 4K, low-latency gaming and smooth video calling.
- Ultrafast nbn® - 875 Mbps download and 80 Mbps upload speeds; for super connected households 4K streaming, low-latency gaming, ultrasmooth video calling and large file transfers.
- Basic 5G Home Internet - 19-23 Mbps download and 4-5 Mbps upload speeds; for 1-2 people streaming shows in standard definition, or a single HD stream.
- Essential 5G Home Internet - 38-47 Mbps download and 3-21 Mbps upload speeds; for 3-5 people streaming shows in HD, working and browsing.
- Premium 5G Home Internet - 62-632 Mbps download and 5-98 Mbps upload speeds; for 3-5 people streaming multiple movies in HD and a single stream in ultra-high quality 4K.
- Telstra Satellite Home Internet plan - 170-320 Mbps download and 20-40 Mbps upload speeds.
Not every plan or speed tier is available everywhere. For nbn services, the speeds you can get depend on your connection type, and some connections like FTTN and FTTC may have lower maximum attainable speeds depending on factors like copper line length and quality. 5G Home Internet and Satellite Internet availability also depends on your address.
Download speeds are typical busy period speed ranges 7-11pm. Speeds experienced may be lower due to factors including modem and cabling and in-home set-up/wiring. Premium, Ultimate and Ultrafast nbn plans for FTTP and HFC connections only. 5G service in select areas and for eligible customers only. Limited number of services available per postcode. 5G speeds experienced may be slower over Wi-Fi and can also be impacted by other factors such as the distance and line of sight between the serving 5G mobile tower and the modem, the number of users online, where your modem is located and how far you are from it, weather, congestions and your in-home set up. Starlink satellite internet typical speeds may vary due to antenna location, satellite congestion, and network prioritisation. Severe weather can briefly disrupt service.
Depending on your plan and connection type, here are a couple of ways to get faster nbn speeds:
Change to a faster plan online
If you’re a Telstra Internet customer, you can move to a higher-speed plan easily in the My Telstra app. Here’s how:
- Sign in to My Telstra, go to Services, select your internet service, then choose Change your plan;
- See what faster nbn plans you can get. If you do change up, you'll enjoy the benefits straight away with no extra cost until your next payment date.
Upgrade to full fibre for free
If you're on an older connection like FTTN or FTTC, you may be eligible for a $0 upgrade to FTTP (full fibre). Here’s how to get it:
- Check your address to see if you're eligible for a free fibre upgrade.
- Choose a high-speed plan that includes the fibre upgrade
- Book your nbn appointment when you checkout. That’s it!
Your full-fibre upgrade and new plan can usually be connected in 2-4 weeks.
Speeds experienced may be lower due to factors including modem and cabling and in-home set-up/wiring. Eligible plan required for fibre upgrade. Standard installation tech upgrade at no cost. Additional charges may apply if you require equipment to be installed in a specific location.
Want to unlock faster speeds?
With a free nbn upgrade to full fibre, you could access new higher-speed nbn plans and enjoy faster, more reliable internet.
Eligible plan required. Standard installation at no cost. Additional charges may apply.
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