5 min read · Checked October 2026
Speed vs data: what a gigabyte actually buys you
Two different numbers
Internet plans sell you two things. Speed, measured in Mbps, is how fast data arrives. Data, measured in GB, is how much you use in a month. A wide road and a full tank are different things, and you need both.
How much an hour uses
| Activity | Data per hour |
|---|---|
| Netflix, medium quality | up to 0.7 GB |
| Netflix, HD | up to 3 GB |
| Netflix, 4K | up to 7 GB |
| Zoom call, 720p one-to-one | about 1.1 GB |
| Spotify, normal quality | about 43 MB |
What 150 GB looks like
Viasat Essentials includes 150 GB of high-speed data a month. That is about 50 hours of Netflix in HD at the top rate, or over 200 hours at medium quality, before anything else. After 150 GB the data keeps flowing but may slow down when the network is busy.
Ways to stretch your data
- Set streaming apps to "Auto" or "Data saver".
- Turn off autoplay.
- Download shows overnight on Wi-Fi.
- Set phones and consoles to update at night.
- Keep cameras recording on motion, not 24/7.
Key takeaways
- Mbps is speed, GB is volume. Plans limit one or both.
- HD video is the big data user. Music and calls are small.
- Picking a lower video quality can cut data use by more than half.
Quick check
Which uses the most data per hour?
What happens on Essentials after 150 GB?
Words in this lesson
Sources
Checked October 2026.
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