A Business Internet Service Buyer’s Guide​

Business Internet Services

Choosing the best business internet providers is crucial for ensuring uninterrupted connectivity, high performance, and long-term growth. The foundation of any successful business today relies on having reliable internet access to streamline operations and facilitate communication.

Internet access has become a fundamental necessity for day-to-day business operations. The key to a smoothly running business often lies in having a dependable internet service that offers both speed and reliability. Naturally, you want to select an internet service provider (ISP) that can offer high-speed and trustworthy service at the most competitive rates. But can you find everything you require in one provider?

Understanding the Basics

Business internet services encompass the range of internet solutions provided by ISPs for commercial use.

ISPs serve as the gateway to the internet, transmitting data from internet servers to your business’s computers. Several methods exist for connecting to the internet, with the most common being dial-up, DSL, cable, and wireless services.

The best business internet providers typically offer an array of features tailored to enhance business functions and communication, such as:

• Web hosting

• Streaming video

• Voice over IP (VoIP) services (check our VoIP Buyer’s Guide)

• Video conferencing

• Virtual private networking (VPN)

• Bundled phone and internet packages

• Free domain names, web hosting, and email addresses

• Complimentary static IP addresses

• Priority network access

• Priority customer support

• Free antivirus and spam protection

Categories of Internet Service

Residential, Small, and Large Business Internet

Before deciding on a plan or provider, it’s beneficial to distinguish between residential and business internet accounts. If you’re self-employed or work from home, you might consider upgrading to a business account for faster connections and greater uptime (reliable service). For businesses with expanding numbers of internet users requiring more bandwidth, dedicated services versus shared services should be considered — especially when evaluating options from top-rated and best business internet providers like Spectrum Business, Verizon Fios Business, and Comcast Business.

Residential

Most residential internet accounts are shared services, with multiple users sharing the connection. Connection speed and reliability can vary depending on the number of simultaneous users. For instance, residential connections tend to be slower during evenings when more users are active on their home networks but faster during daytime work hours when users are on their workplace networks.

In summary, residential internet accounts typically offer:

• Shared service (multiple users on one line)

• Slower connection speeds during peak hours

• Variable reliability based on user load

• Data download limits

• Maximum download limits

• Restrictions on running servers

Residential internet pricing can range from $10 to $100 per month, depending on the provider, location (rural or urban), and selected features.

Small Business

Small businesses often opt for plans similar to residential packages but with some enhancements. Like residential connections, small business internet is delivered via cable lines or DSL and is provided by local cable or phone companies. The key difference lies in improved connection speed and user reliability, as you’re paying for an upgraded version of the residential package.

Small business plans usually include benefits such as a static IP address, a service level agreement, and less oversubscription. Costs can range from $50 to $400 per month, depending on factors like the number of users, business location (rural vs. urban), and desired connection speed.

With most business internet accounts — especially from the best business internet providers like Cox Business, Frontier Business, and AT&T Business — you can expect:

• Unblocked ports for a wider range of inbound/outbound data

• Fewer restrictions on running servers

• The ability to self-host websites

• A static IP address instead of a dynamic one

• Improved technical support

• Faster technical assistance scheduling

• Custom features such as additional email inboxes, free domain name registrations, web hosting, antivirus services for multiple computers, collaboration software, and more

If you’re self-employed, work from home, or own a small business, it’s advisable to inquire with your local cable/DSL providers about their business packages. Though these packages may come at a higher monthly cost, they can often be well worth the investment in terms of both time and money.

Large Business

Large businesses and corporations typically favor dedicated internet access (DIA). This entails a dedicated line transmitting a specific amount of bandwidth solely for the business. DIA is considered one of the most reliable forms of internet access, offering 99.9% service reliability and no oversubscription issues. Additionally, dedicated accounts receive top priority for customer service and technical support.

However, this level of service comes at a cost, ranging from $300 to $5,000 per month depending on factors such as location, user count, bandwidth, speed, and ISP rates. Leading enterprise-level business internet providers such as Lumen (CenturyLink), Comcast Business Enterprise, and AT&T Fiber Business offer highly scalable and secure DIA solutions to support large-scale operations.

Bandwidth

Understanding Bandwidth

Bandwidth is synonymous with data transfer rate, representing the volume of data an internet connection can transmit within a given time frame. Bandwidth is typically measured in bits per second (bps).

Increasing bandwidth allows for the transfer of more data over the internet. When selecting an internet service provider, you’ll choose a specific bandwidth package. The amount of bandwidth you select, in conjunction with the number of users and their online activities, will affect the quality and speed of your internet connection. Choosing a package from one of the best business internet providers ensures that your bandwidth needs are met with consistency and reliability.

Differentiating Mbps and MBps

Bandwidth is expressed in various units, including bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, and gigabytes. ISPs may use different terms to describe bandwidth, so it’s important to understand these terms and be able to calculate or convert between them to effectively measure bandwidth.

For instance, you may notice your internet service seems slow, with a speed test showing 5 Mbps (megabits per second). However, your service provider indicates your average speed is typically 5 MBps (megabytes per second). These two values are significantly different.

Keep in mind that there are 8 bits in a byte, enabling you to convert between these readings. In this case, 5 MBps is equivalent to 40 Mbps (5×8=40). Conversely, 5 Mbps equals 0.625 MBps (5/8=0.625). So, if your speed test indicates 5 Mbps, you may experience slow service and should check your Service Level Agreement (SLA) for bandwidth guarantees.

To ensure you’re getting reliable, high-speed internet for business operations, it’s essential to choose from the best business internet providers, such as AT&T Business, Comcast Business, Spectrum Enterprise, and Verizon Fios Business. These providers offer scalable bandwidth solutions, robust service-level agreements, and customer-focused support that ensure optimal performance and reliability for businesses of all sizes