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Speed you don't use

You probably don't need a gig. Here's what you do need.

Streaming, school and video calls use a fraction of the speed most plans sell. Find your number, then pay for that.

The numbers

Where the money goes

  • Sold on a speed test, not your day

    You pay for a peak number your home never reaches.

  • The plan was upgraded and never reviewed

    A one-time bump quietly became your regular price.

  • Faster tier bundled to qualify for a promo

    The discount came with speed you didn't ask for.

  • Paying for Wi-Fi problems with more speed

    Often it's router placement, not the plan.

What you probably need

24 Mbps

At the busiest hour. About 237 GB a month.

For 4 people, 2 HD streams, 1 video call, homework, with 20% headroom.

Work out what you need

What to say

  1. 1. Opening · You say

    "Hi, I'm calling about my internet account."

  2. 2. The ask · You say

    "We've worked out that our home needs less speed than we pay for. What's your cheapest plan that covers streaming and video calls, and what's the total monthly price with every fee?"

Get the full script

Before you call

  • Run the calculator and note your number
  • Find your plan's broadband label
  • Note your current price with all fees
  • Check whether a slower plan is listed
  • Move the router to the middle of the home before you blame the plan

Questions, answered

Very few homes do. A family of four streaming HD, on a video call and doing homework uses about 13 Mbps at once. Gigabit plans sell about 75 times that.

Related lessons

Words to know

Live out of town?

If cable and fiber don't reach you, satellite may. Check your ZIP to see what's possible.

Sources

Data checked October 2026.