Why your internet might seem slower over Christmas
It’s the same every year. You’ve put the tree up, got your favourite snacks, and now you’re ready to relax and watch some classic Christmas films. But suddenly the streaming service you use starts buffering. What’s going on?
No problem. While waiting you open up the laptop to do some of that last-minute Christmas shopping you’ve been putting off. But why is everything taking so long to load?
Maybe this is the perfect time to Facetime your auntie and wish her a happy Christmas. Why can’t you see, or even hear her properly?
It isn’t the ghost of Christmas tech paying you a visit; there's a very real reason for your festive internet slowdown.
Why is my internet slow over Christmas?
Christmas is typically a time of heavy internet usage in most homes – something that has become even more intense since the advent of streaming TV and movies. December sees lots of people spending more time at home with their families, and as a result more devices are connected.
A few decades ago most homes in the UK had one or two devices connected to the internet. Now it’s estimated the average home has more than nine devices connected at once. This number increases even further over Christmas when everyone is at home, using their phones and laptops and connecting the new gadgets they received as gifts.
Further to this, Christmas is often a time that will see your home filled with guests and relatives staying over. When they connect their own phones to your Wi-Fi it will cause even more activity and strain on your bandwidth, causing your internet to run slower.
How to speed up your internet over Christmas
So, what can be done? One, not particularly popular, option is to limit the number of devices connected to your Wi-Fi at once. However asking people to turn off their phones or stop using Alexa when you’re trying to watch a film might not be the best way to create a happy home environment over Christmas.
The better option is to upgrade your home to Full Fibre broadband, like that provided by Swish. Full Fibre broadband offers a far larger bandwidth, meaning multiple devices can be connected at once without any speed slowdown. This means you can be streaming TV while your cousin is gaming online and your uncle is using the Peloton exercise bike – nothing will be affected.
Want a smoother broadband experience this Christmas? Find out which Swish package works for your home.