Most modern businesses simply can’t function without a good reliable internet connection in their office. That makes choosing the right kind of internet service one of the most important decisions in setting up an office space. Most businesses regularly need to look up information on the web. Many of the most popular business tools such as accounting, customer relationship management, inventory management and business intelligence function, in part or completely, in the cloud online. Cable internet services are the most popular kind of internet service for businesses and one of the most popular internet services for residential customers as well. They offer a lot that a business needs, such as fast speeds, reliable uptime and consistent performance. There is a variety of different cable internet services available and the right one can depend on the specific needs of each particular business.
Cable Internet Services
Cable internet service, as the name implies, connects the end user to the internet using either a coaxial or a fiber optic cable. This applies to both a business or a private residence. Fiber optic cable allows very high internet speeds, but is relatively new technology and can be expensive to lay down and maintain. By comparison, many places already have coaxial cable connections, since those are also used to connect cable television. They are easier to maintain, though they provide lower internet speeds. Most internet service providers use a combination of the two, running a few central trunk lines of fiber optic cable which then connects to the end users using coaxial lines. This makes cable internet service an attractive option for most businesses, since it is fast, reliable and relatively inexpensive.
Which Service Package Is Right For You
Most cable internet service providers offer several different types or tiers of cable internet service, often divided up into residential and business cable internet packages. Depending on the needs of the business, either can prove to have better value for each particular business. Important considerations when choosing the right service package include the desired internet speed, in both the upload and download directions, how important uptime and outages are, whether the business plans on using advanced network tools and if it requires a dedicated line or a service level agreement. Depending on which of those options are important for a business, either residential or business cable internet can be the best choice.
Residential Cable Internet Packages
Residential cable internet service is the most common option for residential end users, but it can also serve as a good option for businesses that do not rely heavily on internet tools or have their tools hosted remotely. Residential cable is often significantly cheaper than business cable, so it can offer a good value. However, it has a number of features that could be drawbacks for a business as well. It assigns a dynamic IP address to the computers connected to it, which means that every time it starts, its internet address is different. That is often good for residential customers, but many of the advanced security tools, such as virtual private networks that some businesses use, require fixed IP addresses and need to be reconfigured every time they change. Residential connections also prioritize downloads over uploads, which means that a business that sends lots of information out to the internet - such as one that hosts its own webpage on site - can find its upload speeds too slow for their business needs.
Business Cable Internet Packages
A business cable internet package is more expensive than a residential one, but it solves many business issues posed by residential internet. Firstly, most offer both static or dynamic IP options, depending on the business’s needs, as well as providing good upload and download speeds. Most business cable packages distinguish themselves through their service level agreements, however. A SLA provides a guarantee that the internet service provides a certain degree of speed and reliability, as well as repairs within a certain short timeframe if something goes wrong. If those conditions are not met, an SLA provides for compensation payments from the service provider to the business, serving as both a contract and an insurance policy for the business’s internet. For businesses that rely extensively on their internet connection to function, that can make business cable internet packages the better option.