Whichever way you choose to live – knowing what type of broadband is right for you can be confusing.

So if you can’t tell your HFCs from your VDSLs – put the acronyms aside, and sort yourself out with our simple guide to finding broadband happiness:

It’s only really me who uses the internet:

If you live alone – or have a small family that only uses the internet a bit – an ADSL connection is probably all you need to get by.

ADSL in a nutshell:

• It is possible to achieve speeds up to 24 Mbps download.
• You can watch Netflix fine on an ADSL connection of about 4-5 Mbps, however you may experience some buffering during peak times, or if someone is watching YouTube in the next room.

If you have an ADSL connection and everything you use the internet for works just fine, don’t worry yourself with upgrade options just yet. But one thing to keep in mind is that the entry level fibre and Ultra Fast Cable plans are actually a bit cheaper than ADSL – so this may play into your decision to upgrade sooner rather than later.Everything is buffering and the kids are apoplectic:

If you are part of a busy household of people who use the internet for streaming, gaming or sending large files, ADSL won’t be a fast enough connection. VDSL is much quicker compared to ADSL, and is available in a lot of urban areas – so it’s worthwhile finding out if you can get it at your place.

VDSL in a nutshell:

• It is possible to achieve speeds up to 100Mbps download.
• VDSL is a good option for people who use the internet for high definition streaming and gaming, data heavy cloud applications and for sending large files in general.
• VDSL is fast, however you could still experience some speed issues if a lot of people are using heavy data applications like HD streaming – across multiple devices – at the same time.

VDSL is priced competitively and is a great option if you don’t have access to fibre or Ultra Fast Cable, or you’re not ready to make the leap to fibre.
My broadband is ok, but I want it to be faster:

Fibre and Ultra Fast Cable are definitely the broadband technologies of the future – there is no doubt about that.

Fibre & Ultra Fast Fibre in a nutshell:

• Both give you a fantastic streaming and gaming experience, and usually there are no problems with many people using it at the same time.
• To connect to fibre, you will need to have fibre installed into your home from the street, which can sometimes mean some moderate installation works on your property.
• There may also be an installation process to have Ultra Fast Fibre connected at your property (the extent of this depends on whether you already have Ultra Fast Fibre in your home).

If fibre or Ultra Fast Fibre are available where you live – and you are unsatisfied with your current connection or simply want to have the best type of broadband connection there is, you ought to look into upgrading to one or the other. With fibre though, just make sure you understand timings around the installation, as these can vary depending on what type of home you live in.
I am all of the above, but I can’t get VDSL or Fibre. What are my options?

If you struggle with your ADSL and it’s driving you crazy, then you may be able to access a different type of broadband technology called fixed wireless broadband. Fixed wireless broadband is a great option for customers whose existing copper connection is really slow, but there is no VDSL, fibre or Ultra Fast Fibre in sight. Vodafone’s wireless broadband is currently connecting thousands of rural Kiwis to better broadband.

Wireless broadband in a nutshell:

• Wireless by using the mobile network to deliver broadband services into the home
• If your property is within the reach of a wireless broadband signal from a nearby cell site, you can plug in a special 4G modem to get a broadband connection humming
• Depending on your proximity to the cell site, a Vodafone technician may need to optimise the signal with an antennae on your roof.

Some people using wireless broadband in rural areas can get fibre like speeds on 4G Rural Broadband (when compared to Fibre 30).
There it is – a simple guide to finding broadband plan happiness. If you’re keen to chat through any of this in more detail, visit one of our friendly Ninjas in any Vodafone store, or call the support team on 0800 021 021. More information on Vodafone plans and packages can be found at vodafone.co.nz/broadband/