The minimum rates that operators allow to contract at present are 100 Mbps in almost all operators. However, there are some that already offer 300 or 500 Mbps as a minimum speed, as is the case with Movistar, Orange or Vodafone. However, more and more people are demanding higher speed connections, including 1 Gbps . Does it really take that much?
The situation with 1 Gbps fiber is similar to what happens with data rates, where we will probably never spend all the data that our rate offers. And even if we have an unlimited data rate , we are actually only consuming a few dozen gigs that we could be consuming with other cheap rates and save at the end of the month.
Unlimited Data and 1 Gbps Fiber: Necessary?
However, in both situations it is possible that there are two cases: that we have hired because we really use it, or because they seek peace of mind. With a data rate, for example, a month we may not need unlimited data and we spend a few dozen gigabytes, but the situation may arise that we have to spend weeks away from WiFi, or that a weekend we have to do excessive consumption without having planned it. And seeing the low prices that these rates have now, it is logical that there are those who prefer to pay peace of mind.
The same goes for fiber optic rates. 100 Mbps can fall short in a household with several people, with 300 or 500 Mbps being the minimum we can demand to guarantee that we will not have saturation problems in the connection.
With 1 Gbps fiber we are hiring that, the peace of mind that not only are we not going to have speed problems, but that we are going to get all the performance out of the devices we have at home, since that speed is the maximum they reach. Most of the Ethernet ports that we have in computers or laptops, although it is increasingly common to see devices with 2.5G Ethernet ports.
1 Gbps may be the cheapest (sometimes)
Another case in which fiber is usually contracted is because, basically, there may be no other option. Currently, Orange’s fiber- only offer is one of the most attractive on the market, since it offers 1 symmetric Gbps and the Livebox 6 router for 18.95 euros per month for 12 months , the same as the length of stay. Even if we wanted less speed, there is no alternative within the operator, and only Movistar’s 600 Mbps rate is cheaper; even though the low price only lasts for 9 months.
1 Gbps fiber is going to become the most common option that operators will offer. In the coming years, as the large operators begin to massively deploy the XGS-PON, the new premium speed will be 10 Gbps fiber, and the 1 Gbps fiber should remain the cheapest we can hire.
Having 10 Gbps is much more difficult to justify, but 1 Gbps, with the demand that is becoming more and more intense network, is an option that is becoming logical. Even if you don’t use it now, you may need it in the future, either to have your own server at home to access your content from the outside as if you were inside, to download something as quickly as possible, and endless possibilities offered by having hired a higher speed. There may even be specific situations with several people downloading things where you want to guarantee that no one is going to have speed problems, and there it is essential to use 1 Gbps.