This blog will look the factors that should be under direct consideration when the time comes to setup either your first business internet connection, or to upgrade an existing one.
When your business first started out and was in it’s infancy, a standard residential internet connection may have been enough to go about your day-to-day tasks. The speeds provided by the ISP and the cost for the subscription may have synced in perfectly with the business demands. A no-frills solution was all that was needed.
However, as we all know, the times are changing. Businesses are growing and processes are evolving. Having the bare minimum internet connection can seriously hinder the capabilities of a business.
Let’s look at some aspects that should be used to forge a decision relating to selecting the best internet connection plan for your business:
Symmetric vs Asymmetric
Upload speeds are often the forgotten element when selecting an Internet package. The upload speed determines how quickly data can be sent from a person’s PC to the internet. In a residential environment, download speeds and limits are usually the primary focus for a consumer and they may not be too concerned about having a high upload speed. With this attitude in my mind, a consumer will be more likely to look at an asymmetric plan where the download speed is far superior to the upload speed. Business internet activity however, necessitates a high upload speed, and can be as important as the download speed.
Symmetric connectivity is where the download and upload speed is the same. Consider some daily activities that may occur in the workplace such as uploading a series of files onto SharePoint. If everyone needs access immediately but the upload speed is poor, then there will be a long wait. Corporate websites may need to display high quality videos, which again need to be uploaded. Another feature that can be a fundamental part of the working day is Web Conferencing; which too can rely heavily on a high upload speed. The above procedures need to be done in a timely and efficient manner. Poor upload speed will not allow for this, and can significantly affect productivity.
Reliability
We don’t need to go into any detail in regards as to why reliability is essential. Everyone has experienced unexpected downtime that has grinded the business/ office to a screeching halt. With so many business processes relying on the Internet connection, dropouts are not an option. This is where the type of cabling that is used needs to be well-thought-out.
Copper cabling, which is usually the cheapest option, is prone to environmental influences such as weather or electrical interference. In addition to this, the signal strength can degrade quite quickly over distance. Fiber cabling alternatively, overcomes these pitfalls. This type of cabling is stronger than copper meaning it is far less vulnerable to the conditions listed above. Fiber signal strength also performs far better over distance than copper. In an office where users may be scattered all around, it is important they all have sufficient network availability.
Cost
Naturally, the greater the internet speed, the higher the cost that is charged. An ISP may have several options for network speed such as 20/20, 50/50, 100/100 (download/upload). Instead of trying to get the cheapest plan possible, it is important to consider what the company requires for optimal functionality. If you’re looking towards moving more services to the cloud, then the bare minimum speed isn’t going to cut it.
Cost can be a two-sided coin in the sense that choosing a low cost plan with slow speed is going to have a knock on effect of company output if there are constant network delays. On the flip side, paying that little bit extra to be provided with better speed may result in productivity being at an all-time high which in term may generate more revenue. Costing isn’t always black and white.
Business Processes becoming Cloud-Based
The cloud is a wonderful advancement in technology. We have talked extensively about why moving to be a cloud-based platform can be of huge benefits to a business in previous blogs. The points listed above have also touched on how internet connections influence and impact using the cloud.
If a business is using/ going to use the cloud, then of course it is desirable to take full advantage of this technology. Having a fast, dependable and reliable internet connection can be paramount. If a company stores all their files on say SharePoint but their upload speed is almost non-existent, then they really aren’t optimizing the use of the cloud whatsoever. Lets use a metaphor to make this idea clearer. Imagine having an expensive sports car but it’s speed has been restricted to go no faster than 30KM/H. Basically the idea would become redundant.
Location
Choosing a plan isn’t always as straightforward as “I want Plan X and Speed Y”. The location of the consumer can determine what internet connections are available. A remote site may not have the same network infrastructure in place compared to an office in the city. For example, only the main cities of Australia have the NBN infrastructure in place, it isn’t currently available in the more isolated areas of the country. Therefore, always find out all the options available before constructing a final decision.
Bang IT Solutions are partners with all the mainstream telecommunication companies in Australia. This puts us in an optimal position to provide you with the expertise necessary to get the best internet connection for your business.
Find out today how Bang IT can help your business push beyond its current limitations and make a bigger impact locally, nationally and internationally.
Contact us by email at bang.infrastructure@bangitsolutions.com or by calling 1300 770035.