Cafe-NomadWhat WiFi Speed Do You Need for Video Calls?
Your video call just froze. Again. The frozen face, the broken audio, the 'you're on mute' moments — most of these problems come down to WiFi speed. Here's exactly how much speed you need for different types of video calls, and how to find cafes that can handle them.
Speed requirements by platform
Zoom: 3 Mbps for 1-on-1 HD video, 8 Mbps for group calls. Google Meet: 3.2 Mbps for HD video. Microsoft Teams: 4 Mbps for HD 1-on-1, 8 Mbps for group calls with HD. These are minimum requirements — for reliable, buffer-free calls, double these numbers. We recommend 25+ Mbps for individual calls and 50+ Mbps for group meetings with screen sharing.
Why you need more than the minimum
Minimum speed requirements assume you're the only person on the network. In a cafe with 20+ people, you're sharing bandwidth with everyone else. A cafe advertising '100 Mbps WiFi' might only give you 15-30 Mbps during busy hours. That's why Cafe-Nomad shows real speed tests from actual users, not theoretical maximums.
Backup strategies for important calls
Never rely solely on cafe WiFi for a critical call. Tether to your phone's mobile data as a backup — most modern phones support WiFi and cellular simultaneously. If your call platform supports it, turn off your camera to reduce bandwidth needs by 80%. And always test the connection with a quick speed test before your call starts.