Why bandwidth matters
A normal browser doesn't just make one request.
A page can load HTML, JavaScript, images, CSS, APIs, fonts and plenty of other resources. When you multiply that across multiple BAS instances, bandwidth adds up quickly.
With metered proxies, you're constantly thinking about:
How much traffic have I used?

For larger automation projects, I personally prefer the simplicity of:
Use the connection without constantly worrying about GB limits.

Residential and mobile proxies
Another thing I've been paying more attention to is the actual type and quality of the IP.
Datacenter, residential and mobile connections aren't the same, and the right choice depends on what you're building.
For browser automation, testing, research and other legitimate workflows, residential and mobile connectivity can be useful when you need a more realistic network environment.
But there's another thing I think gets overlooked:
An IP being online doesn't necessarily mean it's a good proxy.
Connection quality matters too.

What I look for in a proxy
When choosing a proxy for BAS, these are the things I'd check:

• Unlimited bandwidth
• Residential or mobile IPs
• Country targeting
• Sticky and rotating sessions
• Good connection stability
• Reasonable speeds
• Easy integration with automation tools
• A provider that actually monitors endpoint health

I recently came across Adbotip, which is built around exactly this kind of use case.
The focus is residential and mobile proxies with unlimited bandwidth, session options and geographic targeting.
One thing I particularly like is that an endpoint isn't treated as customer-ready simply because it's connected. The platform checks the connection and IP characteristics before making it available.
If you're running BAS and bandwidth is becoming a headache, it might be worth checking out:
https://adbotip.com

I'm curious what other BAS users are doing though.
Are you currently using metered residential proxies, unlimited proxies, or running your own proxy setup?