NEW BLOG: Is there any point making the jump to 1Gbps broadband?

MSE_Rob_Z

A few thoughts and figures on 1Gbps broadband, which is impressively cheap at the moment. But is it surplus to requirements?

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/team-blog/2026/09/is-1gbps-broadband-worth-it/

JSmithy45AD

If it's not enough you can get 1.6Gbps through the Openreach network from the likes of EE and now Sky, Sky also do 2.5 & 5 Gbps through Cityfibre, you've capped your table to 2Gbps.

ISP Review has a decent article on this which is 6 years old now but nothings changed much.

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2020/12/why-buying-gigabit-broadband-doesnt-always-deliver-1gbps.html

daveyjp

A few years ago the same article could have asked if 50 or 100meg was worth having. Having just stayed in a remote inn with 2 meg and managed to do everything I needed to, including streaming on two devices, 1 gig certainly isn't needed for most users, but that's the nature of broadband infrastructure, it will increase in speed.

Money_Grabber13579

I was on a 300Mbps package and this time made the switch to 1Gbps. The reality is that I can’t tell the difference as so much of the speed potential is lost over Wi-Fi and when streaming, even watching something in 4k realistically isn’t going to require more than about 10 (or maybe 20) Mbps. So it’s only really when downloading that the extra speed will have any effect and I can’t say that I would notice the difference if something downloads in 30 seconds compared to 45 seconds (given the Wi-Fi losses mentioned above).

brewerdave

It's not just the restrictions of wifi that make a 500Mbs -1Gbs connection "problematic"

.For example , I have several powerline devices bought a few years ago , working (nominally) at 200 Mbps - personally I would have to replace all of these as well as upgrading devices and network cards.

forgotmyname

I have started installing 10GbE on my home network and thinking of getting 1GB or 1.6GB internet.

Although if they add the BBC tax to internet I will not be paying that.

JSmithy45AD

1Gbps is so yesterday:-

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2026/09/vodafone-uk-launch-new-8gbps-speed-pro-4-broadband-plans-and-5g-service.html