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Bandwidth requirements are based on the volume of data transmitted over an internet connection. You want to have a good idea of how much bandwidth you need when choosing a hosting plan.
So … Do you need a lot of bandwidth?
Be careful when someone claims they provide unlimited bandwidth. Any company claiming they offer “Unlimited Bandwidth” is simply lying. There’s no such thing as “Unlimited Bandwidth” as the hosting company does not have control over the cost for a certain amount of Megabytes per Second.
I’ve never seen any broadband company offering an internet connection as “Unlimited Megabytes per Second.” So, how could a web hosting company, that doesn’t even own its own access lines, tell customers that they can give them “Unlimited Bandwidth”?
Most of the time, high bandwidth sites that actually need unlimited bandwidth and take advantage of this perk get disconnected, and no refund is given. The web hosting company then says that the website violated its Acceptable Use Policy or Terms of Service.
Whenever you visit a site promoting “Unlimited Bandwidth” as one of the account features, be sure to visit the Acceptable Use Policy or the Terms of Service. Read the fine text about the so-called “Unlimited” disclaimer.
When you first look for a web hosting service provider, consider one that clearly states the amount of bandwidth offered with a particular hosting package. Beforehand, make your best estimation of how much bandwidth you use, and then watch your usage itemized on your hosting bill over the first few months.
Take these factors into consideration when calculating the bandwidth usage for your company website:
- How many users will access your website?
- How many pages will be accessed?
- How big are the graphics and HTML files?
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- Large audio/video files, computer programs, and file downloads require more bandwidth.
- Flash websites use tons of bandwidth.
- Virtual Reality (VR) and full-length three-dimensional audio/visual presentations require the most bandwidth of all.
Though it is not accurate, but still gives you something to work with until your site has been online for a while and actual traffic statistics have been generated.
***Don’t fall for the unlimited bandwidth trap that some companies throw at you. When it comes to answering the question: Do you need a lot of bandwidth? This question depends on how much your company uses. Estimate your usage based on the factors noted above. The first hosting bill will then give you the answer. Try to do your due diligence, as many are quite surprised when that first bill arrives?