How much work could you get done today with no internet? If your business relies on VoIP for its communications, you might not even be able to call your customers. This is why having a stable, high-speed internet connection is essential for any modern business. When it comes to business internet, reliability means profitability.
There are so many business internet packages that it’s easy to get overwhelmed and either pick the first one you see, pick the cheapest or end up staying with sub-standard domestic broadband.
There are a few thing to consider before choosing one broadband package or provider over the other.
How is business broadband different to domestic broadband?
Business internet connections are normally faster although domestic broadband can be just as fast if you are willing to pay a premium.
The biggest difference is that business broadband normally comes with a service level agreement which dictates terms such as:
- Guaranteed minimum speed.
- Guaranteed maximum downtime.
- A method for ending the contract or getting a rebate on the costs if these terms are violated.
Business broadband is often more flexible in how it can be configured so that you can better integrate it with other elements of your IT infrastructure like your firewall or your cloud-backup system.
Different Types Of Business Broadband
ADSL
Short for Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line. This is one of the oldest ways of delivering the internet. It uses the existing telephone wiring (normally copper) to transmit information. It is often the cheapest as there is no new installation required but it is slower and less reliable than most other options.
Fibre To The Cabinet (FTTC)
Fibreoptic broadband uses flashes of light to transmit data through fibre cable. It is much faster and more reliable than copper connections. Fibre To The Cabinet connections use Fibre to connect the provider to the local telephone exchange box and then the final leg of the signal’s journey is still made via copper cable.
Fibre To The Premises (FTTP)
This uses fibre cable for the entire connection, it is much faster but is often more expensive as it may require a new fibre line to be installed (unless the previous occupants of your premise already had one installed).
Leased Lines
A leased line is a direct connection from your premises to the provider’s data centre. Leased lines are “uncontested”, meaning they are not shared by any other customers. These lines are the most reliable and have the highest speeds. They also have smaller upload to download speed ratios making them perfect for businesses which need a high upload speed.
Which Should I Choose For My Business?
Businesses use more are more bandwidth every year, technologies that were rare a decade ago, like video calls, are now an everyday occurrence. Thus you should future-proof yourself with the fastest and most reliable internet you can afford. That said, be realistic about how much internet use you actually user and what is required. A shop with a single internet connected card reader probably doesn’t need a leased line, but a financial services company doing high-frequency trading certainly would.
Remember to always check which lines are available in your area. Fibre is more widely available than ever but there are still several dead spots in the UK where only copper connections are available.
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Bundled Services
If your business needs broadband, it probably needs other services too. Many business broadband providers also supply other enterprise-technology services such as VoIP telecoms, cybersecurity, managed IT services, WiFi hotspots, digital marketing and more. By combining several of these services into one monthly bill you not only could get a great price with a bundled discount but it also means you have a single point of contact for all your technology services and you don’t waste time being passed back and forth between different providers’ helpdesks.
Choosing Between Providers
Once you have decided on a type of internet package (Fibre, ADSL, Leased Line), the best way to choose between providers is to do some research on what their existing customers says about them.
- Check online reviews
- Use networks like LinkedIn to speak with other business owners in similar sized businesses or equivalent industries wheat their experience of their broadband provider has bee,
We hope this guide has helped to clear up some of the confusions over the different options available. If you already have a managed IT provider or an in-house IT expert they will be able to provide more guidance on the different options available and it would be advisable to have them with you during any sales meetings to ask the technical questions.
