Compare Business Broadband Deals
What is business broadband?
Business broadband mainly differs from residential broadband in three ways. First, it often guarantees the fastest rates, giving the business accounts priority over residential accounts during high usage times. Second, it is considerably faster, including much faster upload speeds. Third, providers give priority to business accounts, ensuring that any disruptions are dealt with immediately, minimising down time.
Why get business broadband?
The potential reasons to get business broadband depend largely on your business needs.
If you are a company that depends on uploading a substantial amount of data, then business broadband ensures that you can do so in good time. Advertised residential broadband speeds are for download times (viewing/taking data from the Internet), and upload times (posting data to the Internet, video meetings, etc.) are much slower.
If a loss of connection means a loss of money to your company – and let’s face it, that’s the case for most companies these days – then the prioritised service is an important feature.
There are potential cost savings too. Many companies offer discounted rates for locking into a contract for a year or longer.
Business broadband can also come with a static IP address.
Are there benefits to having a static IP address?
Instead of the IP address being different each time you log on – which is the case with residential accounts – yours will always be the same number. This allows for several interesting features.
A static IP address allows you to host your own servers, so you can host your own websites and emails from within your building. You can create a Virtual Private Network (VPN) and log onto it from anywhere in the world.
Better technical support with business broadband
Whether you need a little technical support, or a lot, there will be a service level agreement (SLA) that suits you. Technical support over the phone, or even engineers to visit your site, are available, either during certain hours, or 24 hours a day. Which you get depends on which SLA you choose.
Business broadband also comes with antivirus and antispam features, and a secure firewall to decrease your chances of being hacked.
Does business broadband include mobile features?
It can. If you or your employees are often out of the office, but still need to interact with the network, browse the Internet, and field emails, then be sure that your package includes a suitable mobile data plan and access to the network.
How to compare business broadband deals
The first step is to list what you think you need. Once you are looking through the features, this list might grow, but it is a good place to start building your features wish-list.
Next, decide how much budget you can dedicate to it. Technology and communications are key to any business in this day and age, so it is not a place to go cheap. Reliability and functionality can make the difference between a lucrative business and a frustrating exercise.
Finally, buy the best package you can afford. If you buy the minimum you can work with right now, then there is no room for your business to grow – you’ll wind up having to change your plan in the very near future, potentially incurring the cost of fees, and of course the additional time.
Leave some room for your company to expand into the package you buy.