Whether it's for business, communication or entertainment, a solid internet connection is a necessity for many people. However, the ideal speed isn’t always clear. Thankfully, according to New Hope Telephone Co-Op, the best way to determine this is by considering usage. As the trusted internet service provider throughout New Hope, AL, they’ve discovered that most residential customers fall into three categories: casual, multi-use and heavy-duty.

Basics

The speed of internet service generally refers to the download rate, which is measured in megabits per second — Mbps. This should not be confused with a megabyte — MB — which refers to file size. However, they are related; a single MB equals eight Mb. So, if your connection speed was one Mbps, it will take you eight seconds to download a single MB. If the speed was four Mbps, it would only take two seconds. For reference, the average song is about four MB.

Casual

If you're using the internet to simply catch up on emails, browse social media, stream music or watch a few movies over the weekend, NHTC’s 50 Mbps internet service will suffice. This same level of service will also work for anyone who wants to watch HD programming via television and movie streaming websites and apps – just be mindful of how many devices are connected to the internet at the same time (see next section).

Multi-Use

Those who live with family members or roommates will need higher speeds. Even if everyone’s usage is similar to the aforementioned, greater speeds are necessary as compensation because multiple devices would be simultaneously connected. It will vary depending on the number of people and, of course, their usage; but, we would recommend our 50 to 100 Mbps packages for multiple users.

Heavy-Duty

Finally, for people who frequently video chat, stream HD quality movies, play online games or work from home and need to exchange large files, you'll need heavy-duty internet service. In any of these situations, we would recommend our 100 to 1000 Mbps packages.

With internet speeds available up to 1 gig (1000 Mbps) via a state-of-the-art fiber optic network, NHTC has the internet speed for your needs, whether you are a casual, multi-use or heavy duty user.

If anyone in the New Hope, AL, area needs reliable, high-speed broadband internet services, New Hope Telephone Co-Op is the provider to call. They offer various packages that can accommodate everyone. Aside from the Internet, they also offer telephone and cable services. To learn more, head to their website or call them today at (256) 723-4211.