negotiating with an Internet service provider

4 Vital Factors To Consider When Choosing An Internet Service Provider For Your Business

Choosing the right internet service provider (ISP) may sound simple, but it's more complicated than most business owners think. Whether your business is already established and needs to upgrade the existing connection or moving to a newer location, there various factors to consider when choosing your ISP. Read on to learn more about that. 

The Connection Type

Standard and high availability are the two primary internet services. Standard or high-speed broadband service features aspects like DSL, which provides higher internet speed at affordable prices. However, the downside of this connection type is low quality and service reliability. 

On the other hand, the high availability category offers a service level agreement for more than 99.99% uptime annually. Fiber optic is the most common and modern connection type in this category. The most vital consideration here is taking note of the service level agreement and your business internet dependency. If your company can't afford to jeopardize normal business functions, consider working with an ISP who offers guaranteed uptime.

Internet Connection Speeds

While it's imperative to have stable and adequate internet availability, calculating your internet speed requirements for your business can be an intricate process. Don't frustrate your users just because you didn't pay for sufficient bandwidth for your office. If your business relies on VoIP phones or uses web-based programs, there is a higher likelihood you require faster internet speeds. Higher speeds mean alleviating downtime and continuity problems for your business.

Internet Availability

While it's crucial to have excellent accessibility to high availability internet connection like fiber optic, not every business can afford or access it. Even other common connection types like DSL and cable may be unavailable in newly constructed sites. Besides, it may take almost half a year for infrastructure and service installation. Therefore, if you are relocating your business to a newer premise, pay attention to such caveats and do your research in advance. 

Redundancy

When your business must remain connected to the internet all the time without any downtime instances, you need certain levels of redundancy. In simple terms, redundancy is a backup/failover internet connection that takes over when your main supply is down. Redundancy is quite common in standard internet services, but it's also recommended for high availability services for businesses that do not want to risk any downtime. 

Final Thoughts

Are you somehow overwhelmed? If you should move your business to a newer location to allow for construction or renovation, you must be prepared when it comes to your internet connection. Work with IT consultants who have a strong working relationship with reputable internet providers to find a reliable solution for your internet requirements. 


Share