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The Big Switch Off
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The Big Switch Off

What broadband speed do I need to work from home?

According to the ONS, of the 32.9 million people in UK employment, 44% work from home full-time or on a hybrid basis with at least one day at home every week. So, understanding what broadband speed is right for you to work remotely without headaches is vital.

Flexibility, productivity, work-life balance, and reducing emissions are stand-out benefits of working from home, but without the right broadband, these benefits can be tricky to appreciate. When the pandemic began in 2019, society was technologically prepared for remote working and it was largely a success, so businesses have continued to embrace it for the long term.

However, to ensure your home is future-proofed for a working culture with lots of remote or hybrid working, you will need to know the broadband speed that's right for you.

Man working from home using Your Co-op broadband

What speeds do I need to work from home?

If you find yourself working from home, there are many things you may want to consider ensuring that you can work effectively, such as the strength of internet connectivity, bandwidth and speeds.

Remote working is usually a combination of video calls, emailing, sending and downloading files, and streaming. So, you need to make sure that your broadband is fast enough for your needs and in a package that suits you.

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The right minimum speed will depend on the type of remote work you do:

Man working from home using Your Co-op Broadband

Do I need full fibre broadband for remote working?

If you are the sole user of your home, you are unlikely to require a large amount of bandwidth that leaves you needing the very fastest full-fibre speeds available.

That said, you need a stable, fast broadband connection that can handle your working demands and those of any other devices connected to the Wi-Fi simultaneously. If your work requires downloading or uploading large pieces of data, such as video and audio, or you make video calls each day, Superfast Plus is the best broadband for you.

However, if you have a small business operating from home with more than one remote worker using the Wi-Fi you may want to consider Ultrafast full fibre broadband. Especially if you regularly have important video calls with clients or stakeholders and complete daily tasks that are crucial to the running of your business. Ultrafast supplies speeds you can rely on from 100Mbps to 900Mbps, depending on just how fast you want your internet and the range of bandwidth for the number of devices connected at once.

Woman working from home using Your Co-op Broadband

Fibre broadband vs standard ADSL for remote working

As the Big Switch-Off draws closer, homes across the UK are in transition to new fibre broadband that future-proofs their home connectivity. This is good news for remote workers as ADSL typically offers a maximum speed of only 8Mpbs, while this is sufficient for sending and receiving emails, it will struggle to support more advanced tasks such as video calls.

On the other hand, Fibre-optic broadband is primarily available in two forms, both providing far greater speeds than ADSL:
  • FTTC (Fibre to the Cabinet), utilises fibre-optic cables up to the cabinet on your street, then copper wires from there to your home/premises with up to 80 Mbps.
  • FTTP (Fibre to the Premises), delivers a full-fibre internet connection directly to your property with maximum speeds of up to 900Mbps.
If you are looking for the most capable and reliable broadband to support your home working and others online too, then we would recommend our Superfast Plus or Ultrafast broadband.

For more on broadband options, start with what is broadband to grasp the basics, or find out if you need faster speeds by reading what is a good broadband speed Interested in remote working specifics? Our guide on what is remote working provides essential tips.

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