Bandwidth is the measure of data volume that is transmitted over an internet connection. Bandwidth is measured on a lot of things, and there are different ways to assess how much bandwidth you use. In order to choose the correct hosting plan, you need to know your bandwidth requirements. Web hosting companies will offer different prices tailored to your bandwidth needs. Once you have an idea of what kind of bandwidth package you need, you can search around and make comparisons in prices.
It is good to err on the side of caution when happening upon service providers that offer "Unlimited Bandwidth." This is impossible, and any company offering this just wants to trap you. There are no broadband companies that offer unlimited bandwidth connection to their clients, so how is it possible that the web hosting companies that use them would be able to provide unlimited bandwidth?
When you come across a hosting company that offers "Unlimited Bandwidth" as one of its services, be sure to take a good look at its "Terms of Service" menu item or the "Acceptable Use Policy" section. Read the fine print about this so-called "unlimited" disclaimer. Some sites will just use that term to pique your interest, whilst others discuss your site "qualifying" for unlimited bandwidth. For example: your bandwidth may be "free" but if you go over 5 GB per month they will charge you. Some may even offer unlimited bandwidth but with a torrent of terms and conditions such as no image galleries, HTML or graphics! You may also not even be allowed to link other sites back to your own. Your website will basically be non-functional, and all because you have fallen into the "Unlimited Bandwidth" trap!
It is good to do proper research and to find a web hosting service provider that has a range of different services and specified bandwidth packages. It is also wise to find the web hosting companies that will allow an upgrade should the bandwidth you had chosen prove not to be enough after a while.
Before you decide on your bandwidth requirements, take the following factors into consideration:
Roughly how many users will be accessing your website?
How many pages does your website consist of? You have to realize that it is not the quantity but the quality of the text. You may have a few pages, but they could be filled with bandwidth chewing graphics. The HTML in your content will also use up a lot of data volume. You should even take links to other websites off your site into consideration too.
Large audio and video files will require a lot more space. You also need to think about whether you will be adding more in the future. Computer programs and file downloads will also require more bandwidth.
Virtual Reality and full-length three-dimensional audio and video presentations will require the most bandwidth of all.
It is good to watch your usage carefully over the first few months to check whether you have chosen the right bandwidth requirements for your website. Naturally, it will take you some time to determine whether the bandwidth you have chosen is right for your site, because you will need to see the amount of traffic you are receiving.
Christine Anderssen is the owner of Tailormade4you and offers all your web hosting and web design requirements for small business owners in South Africa. |
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