Technology
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Business Broadband
A business typically has much greater needs than that of a home, with many different moving parts and pieces putting a greater strain on internet bandwidth at any one given time.
For this reason, business broadband has become a staple offering that millions of businesses worldwide rely on to ensure the smooth and continued running of their operations. But just what is it? And are there any drawbacks to it? We have explored this below.
A stable connection is necessary for any business
What is business broadband?
Business broadband operates in much the same way as the home service you will be used to, except it is geared to handle greater traffic and bandwidth. A business may have thousands of employees working at any one time, and the internet service needs to handle this high degree of connectivity.
You’ll enjoy dedicated servers where you can quickly get through to advisors should you need support, alongside the greater capacity load. Typically tied in with a business broadband offering are Wi-Fi solutions to help create a stable and secure connection throughout your organisation.
The good
There are some key features that you can expect from a business broadband service that you won’t typically find with a home alternative. Service providers commit to offering a stable and fast connection, and should there be any problems, these will be rectified much quicker than a home would experience. With this, as mentioned above, the customer support you’ll receive is of a much higher quality.
Business traffic will often be prioritised over that of a home, meaning your needs will come first. Tied in with this is faster internet speeds, much stronger Wi-Fi routers, and a special focus on security and protection. As can be seen, there are many good reasons for a business to consider purchasing this kind of service!
The bad
Unfortunately, that’s not to say that business broadband is complete without its drawbacks. With the greater number of services that this type of package offers comes a more expensive price tag.
The cost will, of course, vary depending on the provider that you choose to go with and the range of services that you wish to have. However, the price typically ranges within the £150 – £300 range.
It is almost slightly unfair to list the raised price as a drawback to business broadband, as the range of additional services far outweighs this. But it is still an important consideration for businesses where costs are concerned.
For smaller-scale businesses who perhaps don’t have the cash flow, it might be that you also don’t require a higher capacity broadband service too. For this reason, think carefully about whether this type of service is right for you at this stage.
The ugly
It’s unfortunately also a sad truth that some internet and broadband providers aren’t completely forthcoming with the capabilities of their services. Often “guaranteed speeds” aren’t reached, and customers are continuously let down. This has seen Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, calling for tougher rules to be imposed to force this on service providers.
With this in mind, you must do plenty of research before settling on a business broadband service. More than one company offers this type of package, so shop around and see who can provide you with the right services to fit your needs.
Better yet, consider speaking to IT experts. This will offer two benefits. Firstly, the experts will know exactly what works and what doesn’t, with most of them having tested these services themselves. Secondly, it allows you to focus your time on the thing that matters most; the smooth running of your organisation.
Boosting your business with IT consultancy and strategy
Business broadband, as with much of technology, is evolving at a rapid pace, and what is the dominant force on the market today could quite well be lagging behind come next year. With a consistent stream of developments, upgrades and inventions gracing the technological world annually, this service is always being improved upon.
To ensure that your business stays ahead of the curve, you must consider IT consultancy and strategy services. Not only will this mean that you have a team of experts who are always on hand to provide you with the most up-to-date services, but it will also mean that you can focus solely on running your business.
Dozens of companies operating worldwide can offer expert IT support, knowledgeable consultancy, and a range of cloud-based IT solutions to reduce your business costs and make your organisation more effective.