how much data does streaming Netflix actually use?

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kiwimatt481

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Topic # 202064 15-Sep-2016 16:05

Hi im new to this forum, so apologies if this topic has been hashed out before. Reason I'm querying how much bandwidth Netflix uses up for say, a typical 2hr movie, is that we seem to have maxed out my Orcon fibre account to the tune of 90Gb in a week, and have only watched Netflix a few times including our usual internet use (FB, email etc). No gaming or torrent downloading of a serious nature. We do have a Chromecast although i turn it off at the wall each night. So how can we possibly be using up ~10Gb of data per day, it seems extreme.

Today, in a bid to get a handle on this, i changed the password so that Chromecast can't connect itself, and have been barely using the web, yet still the Orcon account page is saying we have used 2.5Gb! Are Orcon somehow misinterpreting our usage, or overcharging me in terms of data? How can i check this? Any help or advice is much appreciated.

Matt

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Reply # 1631105 15-Sep-2016 16:25

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You don't specify how fast your fibre connection is, but even with "slow" fibre, 90 GB/month is an inadequate data allowance.

Presumably you are streaming Netflix in HD (that usually happens automatically at fibre speeds)

With a faster connection you tend to use a lot more data - even if you don't notice that you're doing it.

I have just checked my (unlimited) usage over the past few months - my usage has exceeded 10Gb/day on 27 days of every month, on average.

Go unlimited.

[EDIT I don't do Torrents.]

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kiwimatt481

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Wannabe Geek

Reply # 1631107 15-Sep-2016 16:34

Oh really, i thought 100GB per month would be plenty based on previous plans i've had overseas. We get speeds of around 40MBPS usually. I get what you are saying, but it still is puzzling me.

trig42

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Reply # 1631108 15-Sep-2016 16:34

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Netflix in HD uses about 3GB per hour. 3-4 hours a day, plus normal browsing will do it.

I'd be double checking your torrent (you mention you have been torrenting) application - if you are seeding, and you are on fibre, it will happily chew up the gigs (I left mine on overnight and it seeded about 10 GB, and I only had two files in there for it to seed from).

coffeebaron

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Reply # 1631111 15-Sep-2016 16:36

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Netflix can use 3GB per hour for a single HD stream.

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Oblivian

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Reply # 1631115 15-Sep-2016 16:42

My eyes aren't smart enough to distinguish 720 vs 1080 on a 42". And I too have a lower cap, so first thing I did was change netflix usage

https://help.netflix.com/en/node/87

You'll find it ease up a bit