After the event postponements and cancellations of 2020, summer 2021 is a sporting fans feast. With 4K TV’s more prevalent than ever and with a lots of ways to watch the action live or on catch up, there doesn’t seem to be a better time to discuss how you can make the most of 4K streaming on your TV this summer.

Really, where do we start? The Euro’s on right now, the British & Irish Lions tour, the Tokyo Summer Olympics, Tokyo Paralympics, Ryder Cup…and that’s all without the return of the football league in August!

So, what is the best setup for the sports fanatic in you to make up for the last year? Read on as we share some top tips on how to make the very best of 4k streaming for the summer of sport.

4k streaming – What actually is it?

4K streaming is also referred to as UHD, or Ultra High Definition. It’s the best of the best when it comes to video quality and is becoming widely available on many devices.

Today, if you have a TV that’s around 55 inches or larger, you automatically have 4K definition. What makes these visuals so incredible is the amount of pixels are increased to fit in the frame – 3,840 x 2,160 to be precise. So, when you’re watching the game on your TV, the more pixels you have, then the better image definition, colour and detail you are going to get. Basically, it’s a more true to life visualisation of what you are watching.

But with amazing visual definition comes the need for an amazing connection. 4K streaming on platforms like iPlayer or ITV Hub requires large amounts of data to be transferred to your device and vice versa. Without investing in broadband speeds with an the appropriate bandwidth, your 4K TV will be sluggish to load, pixilated at times and not perform as you expect, and may lead to stuttering pictures and a glitchy frame right at the closing stages of the latest England penalty shootout.

Invest in your broadband for an uninterrupted summer of live streamed sports

A trip to the pub to watch the game with your friends or family is a must, but sometimes you want to be able to watch the game on catch up without the interruptions. With all these incredible events set for an epic return, it has got the Zzoomm team thinking about how you can make sure you have the fastest and glitch free streaming for the summer of live sports!

Now we don’t mean getting ready by buying the comfiest sofa, newest TV or making sure you’ve pre ordered your BBQ meat from the butchers – you have done this already, we know. We mean your broadband connection that supports hassle free and fast download & upload speeds. A connection so reliable that you can have your friends, family and the kids over to watch the game with no “can everyone turn their Wi-Fi off so the TV stops freezing please”. A connection that means you can put the kids on the PS5 upstairs to keep them occupied while you cheer on your heroes.

A connection that can handle or even enhance 4K devices. You need Zzoomm Full Fibre Broadband.

You need unlimited Full Fibre broadband combined with a good upload speed

Not all the broadband deals you see are suitable for 4K streaming. Speeds any lower than 60Mbps are likely to provide a sluggish and slow viewing experience. Despite sounding like a lot of download speed demand, 4K streaming sucks up your overall service as its technological advancements have been designed to deliver the best performance, dominating other devices in your home.

So if you have a busy household with lots of smart devices, the likelihood is you won’t be able to use them at the same time as you 4k streaming on a connection provided by the likes of BT, TalkTalk, Sky or EE.

Only Full Fibre broadband can provide you with bandwidth that can manage the demand of 4K TV’s and every other smart device at the same time.

In summary, here is our checklist for the ultimate 4K streaming experience

If the weather stays anything like how it has been over the last week, you’re going to want to stream the game on your iPad from Costa Del Garden, so we have just the checklist for you to make sure there are zero interruptions.

  • Invest in a Full Fibre broadband package with at least 100Mbps download speed. This means you will have plenty of bandwidth for watching the game, entertaining the kids on the iPad and having friends and family over sharing the Wi-Fi. Need a hand with choosing the best download speed for you? Check out our speed calculator.
  • Make a wired connection. For maximum speed and stability, connecting your TV and router with an ethernet cable will guarantee no interruptions.
  • Choose a broadband provider who supply you with two routers. When customers switch to us at Zzoomm, they automatically receive two routers free of charge. This means you can optimise connections by moving one of the routers as close as you can to the living room…or garden if the sun is shining!
  • Switch off other, unrequired devices which are using the broadband connection. Sometimes, switching off other smart devices, iPads and phones will help watching with 4k easier. However, we know the inconvenience of this…which is why this method doesn’t apply when you have Zzoomm Full Fibre Broadband!

4K streaming isn’t just for sport

As well as watching every tackle and bead of sweat drop from the England players from your laptop in the garden, 4K streaming more generally is available on so many different platforms with different programme genres for the whole family to enjoy.

Netflix

Leading the pack, Netflix are serious about 4K streaming. There’s a huge range of boxsets and films to suit everyone to watch in Ultra HD – just make sure you’re signed up to their premium subscription package at £11.99 per month to make use of it!

BBC iPlayer

Did somebody say David Attenborough in 4K definition?! Yes, iPlayer is still testing the waters, but they do have Blue Planet available in Ultra HD which is enough for us.

Amazon Prime

Included in the standard subscription price, Amazon Prime are also offering a huge range of 4k streaming films and boxset including 2012 and Ghostbusters.

YouTube

Fancy 5 minutes peace? Keep the kids mesmerised with 4K streaming available on YouTube. Peppa Pig on Ultra HD? Yes please!

Disney+

On the topic of keeping the kids entertained, Disney+ offers 4K streaming at no extra price, which means you can bring every Pixar and Disney film to life in the comfort of your living room.

PS5 and Xbox X

Any gamers out there? All versions of PS5 and Xbox X are supported with 4k streaming, which means not only can you watch films on there,  but you can also play games with incredible high resolution. Games room pending…

Do I have Fibre or Full Fibre broadband to support my 4K streaming and gaming?

It may sound similar, but the difference between Full Fibre and traditional Fibre is incredibly different. If you think you have Full Fibre broadband today, the chances are there’s copper in there somewhere effecting your connection. Most houses in the UK have Fibre to the local cabinet but from the cabinet to your house, the connection uses old copper wires that have been around for years and years.

We can help!

To enjoy the best of your 4K TV it’s inevitable that switching to a Full Fibre broadband provider who can help you use your smart devices to the best they can be is a must.

If you would like to speak with one of our Zzoomm experts about Full Fibre with 4K streaming and how you can watch the very best of sport this summer, they would be happy to help. Call our local team on 0333 311 9933.

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