Unlimited doesn’t always mean unlimited when it comes to broadband downloads. So what do you get with unlimited downloads on your broadband package, and do you need an unlimited download allowance? Would a fixed download allowance do you just as well?

About unlimited downloads

What is downloading?

Everything you look at on the internet has to download to your machine: every webpage (and every image on every webpage) and email, plus of course what most people think of as downloading – email attachments, songs, video clips, and software. Increasingly peer to peer programmes (file sharing between people linked via the internet, which means large files are constantly being downloaded and uploaded between users), and online gaming (which involves interaction via bandwidth-intensive images) are putting pressure on available bandwidth from standard internet providers.

Looking at your text emails and viewing straightforward webpages will use up very little bandwidth, which is why some broadband packages come with download allowances of a tiny-sounding 1Gb – actually for some people that is quite enough.

What happens if I go over my download allowance?

Providers realise that you may need to download more during one month and they may simply allow the odd instance of overuse. Alternatively, they may allow you to purchase more download allowance – however you should check this on the internet provider’s website before you sign up.

What is a fair use policy?

Most broadband packages that offer unlimited downloads actually subject your downloads to a fair use policy – this is to prevent a small number of very, very heavy users from clogging up the bandwidth and contributing to a slower service for other users.

If excess usage is frequent, the internet provider may first contact very heavy users asking them to reduce their usage at certain times of day (eg peak hours of 6pm-11pm). If the problem continues some internet providers may then reduce very heavy users’ available bandwidth to reduce pressure and enable other users to access the internet at fast speeds.

Some fair use policies will only manage their heavy users’ downloading at peak times, so they can continue to download whatever they want at other times. Other providers may try to help them reduce their usage, but if that fails they may in time decide to close a heavy user’s broadband account.

If you have chosen a broadband policy with an unlimited download allowance you should read the fair use policy (or equivalent) on the internet provider’s website before signing up so you know what the provider may do if you are an excessively heavy user.

Why can’t everyone download what they like, when they like?

Downloads use bandwidth, and bandwidth costs money. If there were no limits on downloading then the top downloaders, using the most bandwidth, would be subsidised by people downloading very little.

There’s also the issue of peak time downloading. At peak times more people are downloading with broadband, so more of the bandwidth is being used at one time. This puts pressure on the service and slows it down for everyone.

Fixed download allowances

You may not need an unlimited download allowance with your broadband. A fixed download allowance (particularly if you have a package where you can buy extra download allowance if you go over your fixed limit in a the course of the month) may be quite enough for you – especially if you are only viewing webpages, downloading a few songs and reading emails.

What do the numbers mean?

Where the download allowance is not unlimited in your broadband package, you’ll find the download allowance written as GB (on this site) or Gig (on some other sites). This is short for gigabyte. When you see a GB or Gig in a download allowance, it refers to the amount of data you can download, not the speed.

If you do download a lot then the download speed really matters as it shows you how quickly something will download (many providers offer practical information about what speeds mean for you, eg “downloads a song in 4 seconds”) but don’t confuse it with the actual amount you can download over the course of a month.

How can I work out how big a broadband download allowance I need?

Some broadband internet providers have introduced download allowance calculators, so you can judge what size download allowance you really need. Some of these are more sophisticated than others.

Don’t forget to factor in what other members of your family using the same broadband connection and download allowance use (or want to use). If your children, partner, or granny is downloading every Next Big Thing from iTunes, playing games for hours every night with gamers around the world, or simply downloading the biggest email attachment known to man, you’re going to need a robust download limit.

How can I improve the speed of my downloads?

If it is important for you that you can download whatever and whenever you like, first of all look for a broadband package with unlimited downloads. 

f you are on ADSL, look for a package with a low contention ratio. This refers to how many other subscribers share the network connection between you and the exchange. If you see a contention ratio of, say, 50:1 (such as TalkTalk’s broadband), this means that 50 subscribers share that bandwidth. The more subscribers sharing the bandwidth then the slower your connection will be. 50:1 is common for a residential package though you can get them with lower contention ratios.

If you have heavy files to download try downloading them at off-peak times when fewer people sharing your bandwidth will be online.

Next steps

Use out broadband checker to find broadband in your area, then use the filters on the results page to view broadband packages with large or unlimited download allowances.

Check out our FAQs 

Do you want to know more about broadband in general to help you choose your broadband provider? Are you looking for a definition of contention ratios or an explanation of satellite broadband, cable broadband (sometimes known as cable modem broadband), wireless broadband or ADSL? Then check out our UK Broadband Finder FAQs.

Who we are