In this post we provide bandwidth requirements (Mbps) for various streaming services when using HD 1080p resolution.
As well we have provided a calculator that gives you the total data consumed per month based on daily usage.
How to use the Calculator
Pick the services (e.g. Netflix, Teams, etc.) that are used and enter the
- Number of users
- Number of hours per day that the service is used for
The tool will provide
- Total bandwidth consumption
- Data usage per day and month
Streaming requirements
This table shows the bandwidth requirements that are consistent with 1080p streaming.
| Service | Bandwidth UPLOAD (Mbps) | Bandwidth DOWNLOAD (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | – | 5 |
| Disney+ | – | 5 |
| HBO | – | 5 |
| Netflix | – | 5 |
| YouTube | – | 5 |
| Google Meet | 4 | 4 |
| Skype | 1.5 | 8 |
| Teams | 4 | 4 |
| Zoom | 3.8 | 3 |
Example Calculations
Bandwidth Requirement
- Assuming two users watch Netflix at 1080p setting, the download bandwidth requirement is 10 Mbps.
- If three users are online at the same time:
- One watching Netflix
- Two others on Teams calls
- The total bandwidth consumption is 13 Mbps on the downlink and 8 Mbps on the uplink when the 1080p HD video setting is selected.
Data Usage
In the second case above with three users online, assuming the first user watches 2 hours of Netflix a day while the two other users are in online Teams meetings for 4 hours daily (not unreasonable with work-from-home), the total data usage is nearly 1 Terabyte.
Background
What is 1080p?
1080p resolution refers to a high-definition display format commonly used in televisions, monitors, and projectors. The “p” stands for progressive scan, which means that all the lines in a frame are drawn sequentially, resulting in smoother motion and sharper details compared to interlaced displays.
The number 1080 represents the vertical resolution, which indicates that there are 1,080 pixels displayed vertically and 1,920 pixels horizontally on the screen. The aspect ratio of 1080p is typically 16:9, providing a wide-screen viewing experience.
With its high resolution, 1080p allows for a more immersive and detailed visual experience, especially when watching movies or playing video games.
Although 1080p is considered high definition, there are even higher resolutions available, such as 2K, 4K and now 8K which have a greater number of pixels displayed across the screen, resulting in even clearer and more vibrant imagery.
Where to use this calculator
Many Service Providers have data caps on their services. A data cap is a limit on the amount of data consumed over a time period (most often this is a month).
As people work on the go or work from home, it is important to keep the data consumption of services like video streaming and conferencing. As the quality improves, so also does the data consumption.
This calculator helps calculate the total data consumption so you can monitor this number. It’s very easy to exceed the limit in particular when the entire family is at home on the internet for long periods of time as is often the case.
Notes
- In general, video conferencing consumes the largest amount of upload and download bandwidth – in particular at high resolutions
- Streaming video services (such as Netflix) consume a negligible amount of upload bandwidth
- At the time of writing, Google Meet does not support 1080p video
- Streaming speed is measured in Megabits per second (Mbps or Mb/s)
- Data usage is measured in Megabytes/Gigabytes/Terabytes. (Use this calculator to convert from Megabit per second to Megabyte per second).
Related Calculators
- How much internet speed do I need to work from home?
- Bandwidth calculator per user – what’s my max speed for a fixed total bandwidth and a shared connection?
- Compare the results in this post with bandwidth requirements for 4K streaming
- WhatsApp Data Usage
- Zoom Data Usage
- Teams Data Usage
References
[1] Zoom bandwidth requirements
[2] Netflix Internet Speed Recommendations
[3] HBO Max Minimum Speed Requirements
[4] YouTube Bandwidth Requirements