I chose a gorgeous place with terrible upload speeds and spent a month apologising on video calls. Now 'how good is the internet, really' is the first thing I check, above rent, above the view. How do you verify connection quality before you commit somewhere, beyond a hopeful speed-test screenshot from the host?
I now ask hosts for a live speed test on a video call before booking anything — a screenshot on its own isn’t worth much.
The hopeful screenshot from the host, so real, learned that lesson the expensive way too.
I check local expat or nomad group chats for the specific building or neighbourhood before committing — far more reliable than anything a listing claims.
A backup mobile hotspot is a non-negotiable line item in my budget now, no exceptions.
OP here — thanks all, adopting Oliver’s live-speed-test idea before my next booking. Wish I’d thought of that before this whole mess.
Seconding the hotspot backup, it’s saved me more than once.
What do people actually treat as the real minimum speed for video calls specifically, not just general browsing?
In my case anything comfortably above 25 down and 5 up has been fine for calls, though that’s just what’s worked for me, not a universal number.
Commenting to save this thread, moving in three weeks and stressed about exactly this.
One thing I'd add to Oliver's live speed test: ask to do it at the time of day you'll actually be working. My Lisbon flat was perfect at 11am and unusable at 8pm, when the whole building was streaming. Now I ask for an evening test too.