We've always known the value of good broadband service, whether for keeping in touch with family members or enjoying our downtime in the evenings and on weekends, but it's fair to say that recent events have brought that value into even sharper focus.

Around the UK millions of people are finding themselves with far more time on their hands at home than they're used to, and relying far more regularly on internet video calling to keep in touch with loved ones. Now more than ever, then, it's a smart time to ensure that you're getting the best broadband service available - that's why Vodafone is discounting its Superfast 2 Fibre Broadband plan down to the price of Superfast 1 for new customers. 

We thought it would be useful to run you through some of the reasons you might want to upgrade your broadband right now, to remind you that you don't have to stick with your existing speeds if they're getting you down.

Video calling without breaking a sweat

Stop us if this is a familiar problem for you - you're trying to enjoy a video call with your friends or family, to catch up and check in on how everyone's doing, but the connection is diabolical and keeps downgrading your video quality to the point where you can barely recognise anyone in your call.

Video calling is surprisingly data-heavy. That means that if you don't have a decent broadband package in place, you could easily find yourself the black sheep on a group call, who can't really hear anyone clearly and certainly can't see them in HD. Upgrading your broadband speeds will make your calls more stable, and will make their quality more likely to stay high. At at time like this, that's worth it on its own.

Streaming without limits

Of course, when we're not checking in on those we care about or can help, many of us are spending more time than ever before streaming content to our living rooms, TVs and computers in the evenings. Whether it's a must-watch new documentary or old football games to rekindle that feeling of spectatorship, nothing can cramp your style more than a buffering bar or being forced to watch pixellated versions because your speeds can't keep up.

If you're hoping to have a household watching streaming content at the same time, you're going to want to get solid speed on your broadband to make sure it can bear the load. Either that, or you'll need to find something everyone's willing to watch, every night, which sounds more than a little like an impossible task to us. 

Keep your work flowing

It's one thing enjoying the downtime in our free time at the moment, but the reality is also that loads of us are working from home for long periods of time, when we might not be used to it. Our broadband's unlikely to have been arranged with that in mind, either, and there's nothing worse than a drop-out in the middle of a big meeting, or your speed making work files take hours to download when you need them ASAP. 

In days past, it might have felt a bit extravagant to get super-fast broadband given you spent a lot of each day at work, but now it makes perfect sense. Frankly, it's an absolute must for us, and we've all been working from home for years. 

Keep the whole family happy

Working and streaming isn't all the internet has to offer, though - that's why you need great speeds to make sure that whatever you or your family want to do, they're never limited by your package. Whether someone in your household wants to game until the wee hours each night, or another member of the home is getting into yoga workouts on YouTube, why accept limited data when you can make sure that everyone's able to do what they like?

Massive savings

Of course, upgrading can be a bit daunting if you're worried about increased costs. That's why Vodafone has stepped in to reduce the cost of its Superfast 2 package down to the price of cheaper plans - it means that for just £22.95 each month you get superb 55 Mbps speed and unlimited data.

Plus, if you already have a Pay Monthly Vodafone SIM card, you could save up to £3 each month on Vodafone's broadband packages, just to say thanks for your patronage. That's superb value for a top broadband package, all in all, and as we've made clear, there's really no time like the present to consider an upgrade.