Choosing the right broadband provider is crucial for your business’s success. Before committing to a contract, asking the right questions can save time, money, and potential headaches. These questions not only include what you need to ask your broadband provider but also what you need to ask yourself.
What is Business Broadband?
Business broadband is a dedicated broadband connection that’s set up in an office or workspace to support a much larger demand for internet services. Typically, business broadband packages are more comprehensive than residential broadband and have more dedicated services. So you can expect faster speeds, more secure and reliable connections, and, because it’s so comprehensive, a higher monthly price.
What Makes a Good Broadband Plan?
A good business broadband plan should offer a high-quality connection, reliable speeds, and strong technical support. When choosing a business broadband plan, you can consider things like:
- Speed: The recommended speed for different business activities varies. So make sure you check with the provider.
- Customer support: Reputable providers usually offer strong customer support.
- Flexibility: Business broadband providers often offer a range of packages and pricing options.
- Number of people: You need to make sure that the business broadband package can have a number of people connected simultaneously.
5 Questions to Ask Before Signing a Business Broadband Contract
Before signing up for a business broadband contract, you need to ask yourself and the provider a few questions. This ranges from which broadband type you’ll need to whether the broadband package will include customer support. Here are the top 5 questions to ask before signing a business broadband contract:
1. Which Type of Broadband Suits My Business Needs?
Not all broadband are the same. There are key differences between the three main types. These include copper, fibre and leased lines.
Copper broadband is all you need if your business only uses email access and internet browsing. But if you want to send and receive large files, you should think about a fibre solution. Make sure you choose your broadband type before you sign a contract as this can influence the monthly price.
2. What Are the Different Types of Fibre?
Fibre Optic is currently delivered in two forms, fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) or fibre to the premises (FTTP).
Fibre to the cabinet uses a fibre optic cable to connect to a street cabinet, and from there only uses the copper element for the last bit of your business. Fibre to the premises, on the other hand, uses 100% fibre optic cable running directly to your business.
Fibre to the premises can be more expensive and complex to install. However, it is built to be futureproof and can provide a faster connection.
Both of these are available in a variety of speeds to suit most business requirements and variations in budgets. However, you need to research both of these and decide which will suit your business best before signing a business broadband contract.
3. Is the Upstream As Fast As the Downstream?
Upstream is fast becoming as important as downstream in modern workplaces. It’s down to the increase in cloud-based apps and software. This means we’re pushing more and more information upstream. This is where a business broadband can be under the most pressure. What upstream speeds a business provider offers is critical to the perceived reliability and performance of broadband.
4. Is My Router Good Enough?
The router you choose is extremely important, if it’s not good quality it can cause all sorts of issues. The router can often be a bottleneck which is perceived as slow broadband.
Make sure the device you have has:
- Dual-band technology which gives excellent performance at close range and further away.
- Enough ethernet ports for fast wired connections for your employees.
- Allows you to use your hub as a WiFi hotspot for visitors if you choose.
5. Will Support Be Included In My Business Broadband Package?
Make sure you ask about what support comes with your business broadband package. Ask if your provider will offer 24/7 phone support in case something goes wrong. Also, find out what extras you’ll receive and how they can be useful to your business before signing the business broadband package.
