Broadband providers push gigabit speeds, but most Irish households don't need anywhere near 1Gb. Here's how to figure out what you actually need—and avoid overpaying.
Quick Answer
| Household | Recommended Speed | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 people, light use | 100Mb | ~€30 |
| Small family (3-4) | 150-300Mb | ~€35 |
| Large family (5+) | 500Mb | ~€40 |
| Power users/gamers | 500Mb-1Gb | ~€45 |
Reality check: 80% of Irish households would be fine with 150Mb. Gigabit speeds are overkill for normal use.
Speed Requirements by Activity
| Activity | Speed Needed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Web browsing | 5Mb | Minimal |
| 1Mb | Minimal | |
| HD video streaming (Netflix) | 5Mb | Per stream |
| 4K video streaming | 25Mb | Per stream |
| Video calls (Zoom) | 3Mb | Per call |
| HD video calls | 8Mb | Per call |
| Online gaming | 10-25Mb | Latency matters more |
| Working from home | 25-50Mb | Depends on tasks |
| Large file downloads | Higher = faster | But you wait either way |
Calculate Your Household Need
Step 1: Count Simultaneous Users
How many people use the internet at the same time during peak hours (evening)?
Step 2: What Are They Doing?
- Light use (browsing, email): 10Mb per person
- Medium use (streaming, social media): 25Mb per person
- Heavy use (4K streaming, gaming, large downloads): 50Mb per person
Step 3: Add It Up
Example household:
- 2 adults streaming Netflix HD: 2 × 5Mb = 10Mb
- 1 teenager gaming: 25Mb
- 1 child on YouTube: 10Mb
- Background devices (phones, smart TV): 10Mb
- Total: 55Mb
This household would be perfectly served by 100Mb broadband—with headroom to spare.
Why You Don't Need Gigabit
The Speed You Pay For ≠ The Speed You Use
Even with 1Gb broadband:
- Netflix 4K uses 25Mb
- Your devices likely can't use 1Gb over WiFi anyway
- Most websites don't serve content fast enough to saturate gigabit
Where Gigabit Actually Helps
- Downloading large files (games, movies): Faster downloads
- Multiple heavy users simultaneously: More headroom
- Uploading large files: Important for creators/professionals
- Future-proofing: Ready for tomorrow's demands
Where Gigabit Doesn't Help
- Streaming: 25Mb is enough for 4K
- Gaming: Latency matters more than speed
- Browsing: Pages load at the same speed
- Video calls: 10Mb is plenty
Speed Tiers Explained
100Mb Broadband
Good for: 1-2 person households, light-moderate use
Real-world use:
- 4 simultaneous HD streams
- 20+ devices connected
- Video calls while streaming
Limitations: Large downloads take longer. May slow down with 4+ heavy users.
300-500Mb Broadband
Good for: Families, work-from-home, gamers
Real-world use:
- 10+ simultaneous 4K streams
- 50+ devices
- Multiple video calls + streaming + gaming
Limitations: Few. This covers almost all residential needs.
1Gb Broadband
Good for: Large households, power users, future-proofing
Real-world use:
- Virtually unlimited simultaneous use
- Very fast downloads
- Multiple heavy users
Limitations: Overkill for most. Your WiFi router may be the bottleneck.
2Gb Broadband
Good for: Professionals, content creators, extreme use cases
Reality: Almost no residential user needs this. It's marketing more than practical benefit.
The WiFi Bottleneck
Important: Your broadband speed is only as fast as your slowest link.
- Most devices connect via WiFi, not ethernet
- WiFi 5 (802.11ac): ~500Mb theoretical max
- WiFi 6 (802.11ax): ~1Gb theoretical max
- Walls, distance, interference reduce speeds further
Practical result: Even with 1Gb broadband, your laptop might only get 200-400Mb over WiFi.
Solution: Use ethernet for devices that need maximum speed (gaming PC, work computer).
Gaming: Speed vs Latency
For online gaming, latency (ping) matters more than speed.
| Factor | Impact on Gaming |
|---|---|
| Speed (Mbps) | Minimal above 25Mb |
| Latency (ms) | Critical—lower is better |
| Packet loss | Very important |
| Jitter | Important for competitive |
Fibre broadband typically has lower latency than cable or mobile broadband.
Recommendation for gamers: Any fibre connection 100Mb+ is fine. Focus on wired ethernet connection and low latency, not maximum speed.
Working From Home
Most WFH tasks don't need high speeds:
| Task | Speed Needed |
|---|---|
| Email & documents | 10Mb |
| Video calls | 10-25Mb |
| VPN connections | 25-50Mb |
| Large file transfers | Higher = faster |
| Cloud applications | 25-50Mb |
Recommendation: 100-300Mb handles most WFH scenarios comfortably.
Exception: If you regularly transfer huge files (video production, engineering), faster is better.
How to Test Your Current Speed
- Use a wired connection (ethernet) for accurate results
- Close other applications using bandwidth
- Run multiple tests at different times
- Test sites: speedtest.net, fast.com, or your provider's tool
Compare results to your plan. If you're getting significantly less than advertised, contact your provider.
Recommendations by Household Type
Single Person / Couple
Speed: 100-150Mb Provider: Pure Telecom 100Mb (€30/month)
Small Family (2 adults, 1-2 kids)
Speed: 150-300Mb Provider: Pure Telecom 500Mb (€35/month) — headroom for growth
Large Family (5+ people)
Speed: 500Mb Provider: Pure Telecom or Vodafone 500Mb
Gamers / Streamers
Speed: 300-500Mb Provider: Any fibre provider — focus on low latency
Heavy WFH / Professionals
Speed: 500Mb-1Gb Provider: Vodafone or Virgin Media for consistent speeds
Don't Overpay
| Speed | Typical Cost | Who Needs It |
|---|---|---|
| 100Mb | €30-35 | Most 1-2 person households |
| 500Mb | €35-45 | Most families |
| 1Gb | €40-50 | Power users only |
| 2Gb | €60+ | Almost nobody |
The difference between 500Mb and 1Gb is often €5-10/month—€60-120/year for speeds most people won't notice.
Summary
- Most households need 100-300Mb
- 500Mb covers virtually all residential needs
- Gigabit is overkill for normal use
- WiFi is usually the bottleneck, not broadband speed
- For gaming, latency matters more than speed
Don't let providers upsell you to speeds you won't use. Match your speed to your actual needs and save money.
Last updated: January 2026