Silk IPTV
Use practical minimums as a starting point, then allow headroom for Wi-Fi variation and other devices.
Planning baseline
Actual bitrate varies by source and codec. These figures include useful headroom.
About 5 Mbps available per active stream.
About 10 Mbps available per active stream.
About 15 Mbps available per active stream.
About 25–35 Mbps available per active stream.
Add the expected bandwidth for simultaneous streams, then add capacity for calls, gaming, cloud backup and ordinary browsing. Two 4K streams can reasonably justify 70 Mbps or more of stable real-world throughput even when the broadband package advertises a higher maximum.
A fast test beside the router does not describe performance behind the television. Test near the actual device, at the time you normally watch. Packet loss, interference and rapid speed swings can cause buffering even when the headline result looks sufficient.
Prefer Ethernet, then strong 5 GHz or modern Wi-Fi, then 2.4 GHz for longer range. Avoid stacking several low-quality wireless extenders. If you use powerline adapters, test them because electrical wiring strongly affects performance.
Questions answered
It can be enough for one HD stream if the connection is stable and little else is using it. More headroom is safer.
Active devices share available bandwidth and Wi-Fi airtime. Idle connected devices usually have little impact.
No. Codec, frame rate, compression and source bitrate change the requirement.
Test through Ethernet first. If Ethernet works but Wi-Fi does not, improve the local network before upgrading the broadband plan.
A free trial during your normal viewing hours gives the most relevant result.