Reviewed on 9 October 2026. A good answer is wasted if the interviewer can't hear it. This guide covers the technical side of online interviews: how much bandwidth the common platforms need, how much mobile data a backup hotspot will use, how to test your camera and microphone with each platform's own tools, and a fallback plan for power cuts and dropped connections. It is written for Indian candidates who often interview from home on shared Wi-Fi or a phone hotspot.
Know what your connection must carry
Video platforms adapt to the bandwidth available, but they publish planning figures. These come from the platforms' own documentation.
Zoom (system requirements):
| One-to-one call | Upload | Download |
|---|---|---|
| High-quality video | 600 kbps | 600 kbps |
| 720p HD video | 1.2 Mbps | 1.2 Mbps |
| 1080p HD video | 3.8 Mbps | 3.0 Mbps |
| Audio only (VoIP) | 60–80 kbps | 60–80 kbps |
Zoom lists screen sharing at 50–75 kbps (screen only) or 50–150 kbps (with a video thumbnail).
Microsoft Teams (network planning guidance) gives these per-endpoint figures for one-to-one calls:
| One-to-one call | Minimum | Recommended | Best performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audio | 10/10 kbps | 58/58 kbps | 76/76 kbps |
| Video | 150/150 kbps | 1,500/1,500 kbps | 4,000/4,000 kbps |
| Screen sharing | 200/200 kbps | 1,500/1,500 kbps | 4,000/4,000 kbps |
Microsoft notes that when bandwidth is short, Teams gives audio priority over video. Your voice matters more than your picture, so if the connection weakens, switching your camera off is a reasonable step.
The figure most candidates overlook is upload speed. Home broadband and hotspots often upload far more slowly than they download, and your video and voice travel on the upload side.
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Suppose your broadband fails and you switch to a phone hotspot for a 60-minute video interview on Teams at the recommended 1.5 Mbps each way:
- 1.5 megabits per second × 3,600 seconds = 5,400 megabits
- 5,400 ÷ 8 = 675 megabytes (MB) in each direction
- Upload plus download comes to about 1,350 MB, or roughly 1.35 GB
The same hour on Zoom at 720p (1.2 Mbps each way) works out to 540 MB each way, about 1.08 GB in total. Audio only, at Zoom's upper figure of 80 kbps, uses about 36 MB each way, around 72 MB for the hour.
These are rough upper estimates, since the apps adapt and actual use varies. The practical rule is to keep at least 2 GB of mobile data available on your backup phone on interview day, and to know how to switch to audio only.
Test your network the right way
- Test from the chair you'll sit in, at the same time of day as the interview. Evening congestion on shared connections is common.
- Look at the upload result, not only the download.
- Use a wired connection if your laptop and router allow it. On Wi-Fi, Microsoft's guidance notes that the 5 GHz band is better suited to real-time media than 2.4 GHz, although its range is shorter. If you can, sit near the router.
- Turn off personal VPNs unless the employer requires one. Microsoft's guidance explains that VPNs are typically not designed for real-time media.
- Ask household members to pause large downloads, video streaming and game updates during your slot.
Test your devices with the platform's own tools
| Platform | Built-in test | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Zoom | Zoom test meeting | Checks your speaker, microphone and camera before a real call |
| Microsoft Teams | "Make a test call" under Settings, then Devices (Microsoft's guide) | Microsoft says the test call is available in the desktop app for Windows and Mac, not on the web version |
| Google Meet | The pre-join screen (Google's guide) | Lets you check your mic, speaker and camera, and switch devices, before joining |
Check these four device points too:
- Camera at eye level. Raise the laptop on books if needed, so the interviewer isn't looking up at you.
- Light in front of you. A window or lamp behind the camera works; a bright window behind you turns you into a silhouette.
- Earphones or a headset. These prevent echo and keep your voice clear. Wired earphones avoid Bluetooth pairing surprises.
- A neutral background. If you use a virtual or blurred background, test that it doesn't cut off your head or hands when you move.
Online assessments are stricter than interviews
Many invitations for coding tests or proctored assessments include a system-compatibility check, a required browser, or rules about permissions. Run that check on the same device, browser and network you'll use on the day. Don't switch laptops between the check and the test. Close other applications before you begin. If the instructions conflict with what you can provide, such as a webcam requirement when yours is broken, write to the contact address in the invitation before the test, not during it.
Power and connection backup plan
Power cuts and router failures are real risks in many Indian cities. Prepare these in advance:
- Laptop charged to 100%, with the charger plugged in.
- Router power backup. A UPS or power bank that can run your router keeps broadband alive during a short outage.
- Phone hotspot ready, with at least 2 GB of data, already paired with your laptop once so you know it works.
- Contact details saved: the interviewer's or recruiter's email and phone number, from the invitation.
- A message drafted in advance: "My connection dropped at [time]. I'm rejoining from a backup connection now and can switch to audio only if needed."
Interview-day checklist
24 hours before
- Run the platform's test (Zoom test meeting, Teams test call or Meet pre-join screen)
- Update the app or browser, then restart the laptop
- Confirm your hotspot data balance and charge your devices
1 hour before
- Run a speed test from your seat and check the upload figure
- Close downloads, cloud syncs and unneeded tabs; silence notifications
- Set up your light, camera height and earphones
10 minutes before
- Join or open the meeting link from the official invitation
- Check your microphone level and camera framing on the pre-join screen
- Keep your phone nearby on silent, with the hotspot ready
If it fails mid-interview
- Try rejoining once from the same link
- Switch to the hotspot and turn off your camera if video stutters
- Email or call the contact from your invitation if you can't rejoin within a few minutes
For the answer side of remote interviews, see our video interview tips and audio interview tips.