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Can someone help me understand internet specs?

I'm looking to get Xfinity but I'm not sure what a good download and upload speed is. And whether mbps is mega bits per sec or megabytes per sec. Also I live in Nashville so I imagine I would need higher coverage since I'm in a congested neighborhood
dancingtongue · 80-89, M
I went online to try and figure out what the heck I have and what I can shed. I know I have far more than I need because when my partner was alive I was subscribing left and right to try find things that interested her in her final few months. Without much success, I might add. I also realize to get the dozen or so cable/streaming channels I really use with Xfinity it is going to be bundled with a gazillion other things I will never use. Nature of the beast. So I figured out that to get the channels I most use I will need to pay $30-50/mo above the bare bones basic bundle, which is fine. To get MLBTV though, I have to continue to go with the platinum package at an additional $18.50/mo. (The irony is that up until a month or so ago I supposedly got MLBTV "free" as a season ticket holder to the local baseball team, proving once again that I can never afford "free".)

While I was still pondering that, I moved on to my next question since I have Internet and my landline phone bundled with the cable, and since they now offer mobile phone wondering if I can substitute my cellphone for the landline and drop my cellphone carrier or some other combo makes more sense. But before I can get to that I tripped into this mbps conundrum, my head started to hurt, and I logged off. So much for their "easy" "user-friendly" website to help you navigate through everything.

Now on my cellphone I get a message from Xfinity saying my Gateway doesn't deliver the mbps I am paying for, and if I log on the link they will send me a new device that will enable me to get the proper download speeds. I changed nothing, so there is nothing knew. If I haven't been getting what I paid for, how about a refund check for what I have been paying since what I've got has been working fine? Or is this some pfishing scam since they have all my account info and they can send or deliver new equipment without anything from me?

And where is my grandson when I need him? Sitting on the beach in San Diego, "attending class" remotely in one window of his laptop while doing his consulting/internship gig in another window. Going to college these days is a heckuva a lot different than when I went.
MarkPaul · 26-30, M
It depends on what you want to do. If you will be doing gaming, streaming, and you're the only user, get a minimum of 100 Mbps. They have higher speeds, but I recommend starting with their base (100 Mbps) and then upgrading if you need it.

If you are only going to go online, download email, and watch youtube videos, you probably could get along fine with something even lower than 100 Mbps... although if you plan to get their other services, a "bundled" packaged rate can get you the 100 Mbps without negatively impacting your cost.

I don't know what you mean by "higher coverage," but hopefully they have calibrated their service performance based on usage and congestion within your area. Again, it's best to start with the base amount of speed and if you find that is not serving your needs upgrade from there instead of starting out with paying for more than you actually need, use, or is practical.
raysam363 · 31-35, F
Bandwidth is important, but it depends on what you plan on doing really. Aim for 50-100 mbps for basic things and streaming on one to two devices, more if you plan on really using the internet. All try to avoid data caps.
CuddleFeesh · 31-35, M
300 megabits per sec. Whadya think
MartinTheFirst · 22-25, M
megabytes is what you're after. 10mb is okay. 100mb is great.
MartinTheFirst · 22-25, M
I think that 100mb for gaming and streaming seems a little extreme. 100 mb is probably more for if you want to download large things often ...
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