Business Internet Service in Your Area
Over time businesses evolve and grow. Some become corporations while some are content being smaller home businesses. However, the main concern when growing a business is how to do it efficiently. This often involves cost cutting methods like finding the best deals and offers on essential elements such as business internet.
While the traditional method of going straight to the largest traditional companies that offer business internet will get you what you need, it may cost you a pretty penny in the process. It most certainly helps to know what you are looking for in terms of connection speed. That’s where the process of finding the right provider for your business internet needs becomes more complicated.
In this section we will go over the most important aspects to know before searching for the right provider. You will also need to take a look back at your own enterprise and think about how critical data is in your day to day operations, how important business support is to you, how many people you are employing, and how long will you be in the same location. This will allow you to get the best bang for your buck and leave you with a quality business internet service provider.
What Each Form of Business Internet Offers
It’s time to cut through the internet marketing. The following is a list of the different forms of business internet connections that are offered. They are ranked from the lowest connection speeds to the fastest connection speeds. Also, they are ranked in ascending order of price (generally). Side note: you can always run a speed test to check the current efficiency of your internet connection.
DSL: At the low end in regards to price, DSL is the extremely economical choice for business internet. You will be getting lower connection speeds for this price especially when sending data. Speed and performance for DSL is greatly degraded over long distances (generally 10,000 cable feet). This means that if you live far from the providers central office, don’t expect high speed. It is important to gauge your company’s need for reliability in this instance. With the lower speeds also come higher chances of downtime which can kill a business based on the internet. Most cable companies will bundle this business DSL service with television and phone which makes it a viable home option. This option would be suggested for the at home startup that is more of a side project then a main revenue stream.
Cable: Like DSL, cable would be recommended for those operating small businesses, with few employees, and no huge reliance on data speeds. Cable doesn’t fall victim to the distance issues with DSL, however it has much bigger problems with connections speeds during times of peak usage. There often are outages or extremely slow speed during times of unexpectedly high number of users.
T1 (DS1): This option is the first real step up in terms of reliability and service. T1 internet lines are dedicated and that’s a huge plus. Instead of sharing the connection with others, you have this one all to yourself. This means that the possible speed is the same as cable, however unlike cable; T1 lines do not have problems with over usage. T1 internet lines are also synchronous and the network functions at a constant rate of speed regardless of the timing. When thinking about t1 vs cable it is important to note that not only are t1 speeds faster consistently, but the amount of downtime is significantly less. On the other hand, this option becomes more expensive. T1 line prices range from around $200 up to $1000 per month depending which of the T1 providers you choose. This choice would be recommended for the serious business that requires little to no downtime, fast internet, and for those who engage in e-commerce.
DS3 (T3): Now we’re really stepping up the game. DS3 (T3) service is for larger companies or corporations that are looking for a high level of performance and service. These are also known as T3 internet lines. This can cause some confusion by people trying to find the difference between T3 internet and DS3 internet but rest assured that they are one in the same. T3 lines offer the equivalence of 28 dedicated t1 lines. This speed ranges up to 45 Mbps which is very fast. T3 is especially useful for enterprises that are doing large data transfers such as video. The generally accepted price to usage ratio is that you should switch from T1 (DS1) service to aT3 line if you are using more than six T1 lines.
High Speed Internet Future: VoIP
VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol and is relatively new and untapped. However, it is going big places in the future. It could easily put cable companies out of the high speed internet business. This is one to keep an eye on as it can be the most cost effective option in the near future. If you are looking to switch to VoIP in the future, it would be worthwhile to look into buying the necessary amount of bandwidth.
Deciding on a Business Internet Service Based on Company Needs and Size
No matter the size of your enterprise, there is a correlating necessity for internet usage. The type of internet service provided is largely determined by the size of your company. From small startup to massive corporation, there is a perfect business internet plan for everyone.
Small Business (up to 20 employees): Most small companies would do fine with a solid cable or DSL plan. This can change depending on the value placed on high quality data transmission. As more importance is placed on uptime and consistent data speed, more value is placed into purchasing a T1 line. If you are looking to move to a T1 line but still need to save some money, look into integrated service. This could be found below under money saving options.
Medium Business (between 20-100 employees): Most companies in this range will benefit the most from using T1 internet lines. At this stage, you will probably need a solid amount of reliability and low down time which is what T1 service provides you. The cost of lost business due to slow data transmissions or internet downtime will surpass the extra cost to switch from DSL. If you are in a technology industry and need to transfer extremely large amounts of data, it might be worth your time to switch to a DS3 line/T3 line.
Large Business (over 100 employees): At this level of operation, it is most likely that your business or corporation is engaging in vital data transmission and has a high level of service need. If the data transmissions are low enough to be accommodated by five or less T1 lines, then sticking with T1 is the smart move. On the other hand, if there is a need for six or more T1 lines then it is highly advised to switch to a DS3 line. Each DS3 line gives the service equivalent of 28 T1 lines. This will come at a premium price but it is well worth it. With the extra price, most internet providers also provide superior service. Most have guarantees that you will not have down time and that they will fix any issues extremely promptly. If your corporation or large company is in need of the fastest and most reliable internet service, then DS3 is the one to use. Make sure to take your time and compare different plans before locking into one.
Providers
Comcast Business Class: According to a 2011 rating by PC Magazine based on review of customer data, Comcast business class was rated the fastest of the business internet service providers out of all the internet companies in the nation. For most areas, they provide downloads up to 100mbs and uploads to 10mbps. Comcast business includes cloud services from Microsoft as well as flexible web hosting option for creating a website. Also included is Norton Security Business Suite and 24/7 Comcast business internet support.
Verizon Business: Verizon Business internet provides speeds from 7 to 15 mbps in most areas. In addition, Verizon offers up to 10 email accounts through the @Verizon.net name at no additional cost. This is a great addition to anyone looking for Verizon business internet. Verizon Internet security service is also included as well as Verizon online backup and sharing and unlimited nationwide calling.
AT&T Business: AT&T business internet offers a dedicated port into their OC48/192 common backbone which has no single core backbone point of failure. This is most definitely a good thing. In terms of service, AT&T business offers 100 percent service reliability and a 99.95 percent data delivery rate. They offer 24x7x365 monitoring and technical support as well as synchronous high-bandwidth transfer speeds. Last but not least, AT&T business internet has guaranteed provisioning.
Cox Business: Cox business internet gives you the option to choose speeds’ ranging from 5mbps for downloads and 1mbps for 50 mbps for downloads and 5mpbs for uploads. Included is the security suite which automatically protects and updates throughout the day while running patches immediately. Also, Cox business internet comes with online backup to protect your data. This features automated backup, restore capabilities and administrator functionality. In addition, you receive email that includes spam blocker, antivirus software, and easy integration with desktop clients.
Charter Business: Charter business internet provides a wide range of speeds to choose from with many options. Their business internet ranges from 20mbps download and 3mbps upload speed to 100mbps download and 5mbps upload speed. Charter includes between 2 and 10 email accounts depending on which particular service is chosen as well as 100 and 250 MB of storage per email account. Also, Charter includes enterprise solutions for at least 3 dynamic IP addresses and up to 1 static email address. On top of that, they also offer between 3 and 10 licenses for desktop security.
Time Warner Business Class: Time Warner business class offers speeds that aren’t as fast but come with great flexibility. The speeds offer range up to 10mbps for both uploads and downloads. Time Warner Business offers a 99.97 percent uptime while keeping packet loss and latency rates very low. The dedicated access uses fiber optic technology which is highly consistent in its data transfer rates. Another great offering from Time Warner Business Class internet service is the dedicated local account management which provides a single point of contact.
Other options: In addition to the big household names most people are familiar with there are a range of companies who offer specialist business telecommunications services. These include Cavalier Telecom, Level 3 Communications and Integra Telecom. Many of these companies offer a range of VoIP and other solutions in addition to broadband. We can also provide information on solutions from Megapath, Paetec Communications, XO Communications and TW Telecom.
Money Saving Tips for Business Internet
If you’re looking on the upper end of internet service, don’t lose sight of the need to save money. There are a few options for those who want to upgrade their service while still keeping costs at a minimum.
Burstable Service: This service allows the user to purchase a pre-determined amount of bandwidth; however the complete amount of bandwidth is still available for use. If you go over the pre-determined limit, you will be charged an overage fee. This is a great money saving option for those who know exactly how much bandwidth they use per month, and rarely go over it.
Dynamic Service: This feature charges the user a variable amount based on the amount of bandwidth used each month. A great option for companies who use different bandwidth amounts each month, this feature can save you money on the months where you do not use it as much.
Integrated Service: Much like bundled packages through cable companies, this option allows you to bundle data and voice services on one line. This is a solid option for small companies that need the integrity of a T1 line but might have the budget for the line by itself.
Summary
An educated consumer is a powerful consumer. It is vastly important to research a big decision before a purchase is made. This is especially true when it comes to the lifeblood of many businesses these days. Business internet services can make or break an enterprise. It is up to the purchaser to compare different plans and make the best decision based on their needs. Figure out which service is the best option for you, then get quotes based on your findings.
