The short answer: about 10 Mbps for each Full HD stream and 25 Mbps for each 4K stream. The longer answer is that the number on your internet bill is not the number your TV sees.
Speed table
| What you are streaming | Plan for |
|---|---|
| One SD stream | 3–5 Mbps |
| One Full HD stream | 10 Mbps |
| One 4K stream | 25 Mbps |
| 2 HD + 1 4K at once | about 45–50 Mbps |
| Household with 3–4 screens plus work calls | 100 Mbps or more |
Leave 20–30% headroom: other devices, video calls and background updates all draw from the same pipe.
Download is not the only number
For live sports, stability matters as much as speed. A connection that swings between 200 and 20 Mbps buffers more than a steady 60. If you see drops at the same hour every evening, you are likely seeing neighborhood congestion; call your ISP or try a wired connection.
Wi-Fi is the weak link
Distance, walls and 2.4 GHz interference cut real throughput by half or more. Test speed on the device itself. Ethernet is the fix; a mesh system or a 5 GHz connection is next best.
Data caps
Streaming uses data fast: roughly 3 GB per hour in HD and 7 GB per hour in 4K. If your ISP caps usage at 1.2 TB a month, a household streaming 4K for 5 hours a day can approach it.
What to do next
Run a speed test on your TV, check the table, and request a free trial to test on your own network before paying. Buffering? Use our checklist.