Prioritise stable connectivity, enough upload for concurrent calls and file transfers, and a dependable connection to the workspace. For important work, plan how you will reconnect if the main line fails.
Match your connection needs with broadband options across London and check availability before choosing a package.
Translate your working day into requirements
Separate light document work, live conversations and large file transfers. Email may tolerate a short pause; a live customer call may not. A designer uploading an export and an analyst working inside a remote desktop do not necessarily need the same package.
Record whether work overlaps with other people's calls or television streams. Also ask your employer whether you need a VPN, a managed device or a particular connection arrangement. Follow the organisation's security requirements before changing router settings.
Give outgoing traffic room to breathe
Zoom's published 1080p requirement is around 3.8 Mbps upstream and 3 Mbps downstream per call. Two such calls therefore provide an illustrative starting point of 7.6 Mbps upload before backups, sync tools and other traffic. Quality and meeting settings can change that demand.
The practical lesson is to compare upload explicitly. A high download headline can conceal a much smaller outgoing allowance. Pause a large sync as a diagnostic step when a meeting struggles; if that helps, investigate upstream capacity and traffic management.
Treat the connection to your desk as part of the job
Try a wired connection for a fixed workstation where practical. If you rely on Wi-Fi, test from the actual desk at the time you usually work. A fast result beside the router cannot describe the signal through several walls.
Place wireless equipment with the route to the workspace in mind. Check the performance of docks and adapters as well as the laptop itself. An employer-managed VPN may also become the limiting part of the connection, which should be investigated with IT support.
Design a simple fallback
Decide what you would do during a broadband outage before a critical meeting. A mobile hotspot may be enough for temporary calls, but first check indoor signal, allowance, tethering rules and whether your work device can use it.
Test the fallback with an ordinary work session, not just a speed test. Know how to connect, keep login details available and make sure the mobile device is charged. A second service is only useful if it is usable when the first one fails.
Choose support according to the cost of disruption
A home worker with occasional calls may be comfortable with residential support. Someone whose income depends on continuous access may want a business package, a stronger support commitment or a second connection. Read the terms rather than treating a business label as proof of a particular repair time.
Compare the extra monthly cost with the practical consequence of losing a working day. Keep the initial purchase focused: fix the measured weakness first, then reassess whether a higher speed tier changes anything useful.
- Check upload, not just download.
- Test wired and at the actual workspace.
- Avoid large backups during important live sessions.
- Confirm employer VPN and security requirements.
- Test a fallback connection before you need it.
Your questions, answered.
Do I need business broadband to work from home?
Not automatically. Compare your working needs, permitted use and support expectations with the contract. Critical operations may justify business terms or a second connection.
Will a gigabit package fix poor video calls?
Only if insufficient capacity is the cause. Wi-Fi, an overloaded upload, VPNs, equipment and the remote service can also affect calls.
Sources & further reading
Official information behind this guide. Links checked 29 October 2026; individual datasets retain their stated reference dates.