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  1. IMDA
  2. User & Set up Guides
  3. Mobile and Broadband
  4. Benefits of Higher Bandwidth

Benefits of Higher Bandwidth

Having a higher bandwidth means you will be able to achieve a higher data transfer rate. With the help of IMDA and Wireless@SG, users can achieve a higher data transfer rate which leads to shorter download times.

Benefits of Higher Bandwidth

A service plan with higher bandwidth will cost you more. But there are many benefits. IMDA and Wireless@SG provide resources to help consumers understand the benefits of higher bandwidth and make informed decisions when choosing a service plan.

Shorter Download Time

Having a higher bandwidth means you will be able to achieve a higher data transfer rate which in turn leads to shorter download times. This is especially significant when downloading large files. Here's a look at how long it takes to download the 383 MB Maple Story game client.

Broadband Service Estimated Download Time
56 kbps dial-up 900 mins
512kbps 100 mins
30 Mbps (30,000 kbps) 2 mins

Smoother Experience with Multiple Concurrent Online Applications

Many users don't just run a single online application at a time. A user could be checking his e-mail, surfing a website, downloading a music file, watching a clip from You Tube and playing an online game at the same time. To be able to support and have a smooth experience of multiple concurrent sessions requires a plan with higher bandwidth.

Broadband Service Ability to support multiple online sessions
56 kbps dial-up Not possible
512 kbps Possible but slow and jerky
3,500 kbps and above Smooth and responsive

Supporting Multiple Users and Online Sessions Concurrently

With broadband routers being commonplace and affordable, a household can easily set up a LAN at home to share the broadband line among multiple PCs. Mum could be watching a You Tube clip, Dad downloading a large Power Point file from the office, Daughter conducting a video chat with her friends and Son is playing an online game with his guild. But having multiple concurrent users, each of whom could be running multiple online sessions can really tax your bandwidth. In this example, the family is probably sucking up about 1.3 Mbps of bandwidth. Having a higher bandwidth plan could really help right about now.

Broadband Service (Available Bandwidth) Ability to support multiple users and online sessions (totaling 1.3 Mbps)
56 kbps dial-up Not possible
512 kbps Not possible
3,500 kbps & above Smooth and responsive

Be Prepared for New Bandwidth-Intensive Applications

Every video stream has a certain bit rate that gives an indication of how much bandwidth you need to be able to watch the video smoothly. To be able to stream video directly from a website to your PC requires a sufficiently high-bandwidth service. A lot of emerging video applications will demand for higher bandwidth.

Application Estimated Bandwidth Required
High definition TV 6-8 Mbps (MPEG4), 20-25 Mbps (MPEG2)
Super HD (SHD-TV) 32 Mbps (MPEG4), 60 Mbps (MPEG2)
3D HD-TV 187 Mbps (MPEG4)
Multimedia-rich teleworking Up to 20 Mbps
Telemedicine 75 Mbps and above

If Mum is watching a high definition IPTV show (8 Mbps), Dad is conducting a three-party video conference call (8 Mbps), Son is playing a multi-party online game (6 Mbps) and Daughter is viewing a  high quality live video stream from a video sharing website (2 Mbps), that requires a total bandwidth of 24 Mbps, which only higher-end broadband services by can support.

LAST UPDATED: 25 APR 2023