Small Business Broadband Guide
Selecting the right business broadband deal is crucial to the operation of any company. Here's what you need to know.
October 2021
| Breaking News
With connectivity bridging the gap between company and consumer, it is no surprise that business owners are on the lookout for the best business broadband providers. Today, customers can choose from a wide range of providers. Gone of the days of picking from five or six broadband suppliers.
When it comes to broadband suppliers, customers have a lot more to think about than just speeds. Some suppliers offer the whole package, whereas others offer smoke and mirrors. Suppliers like Virgin and XLN are big names in the telecoms industry, but do their reputations precede them?
We compare Virgin business broadband and XLN business broadband on the basis of packages, prices, speeds, customer service ratings, and new customer incentives. In this guide, business owners can discover whether big-name broadband businesses meet their expectations.
Even the best business broadband providers might not be exactly as they seem. It is no secret that lots of service providers make extortionate claims and fail to back them up. At Love Energy Savings, we encourage business owners to consider their options.
By comparing broadband suppliers, business owners can find a deal that suits their needs. Modern suppliers understand the importance of tailor-made deals. Some suppliers (such as XLN) focus their offerings entirely on small businesses. Others focus on large enterprises. Either way, finding a provider that specialises in your business needs pays off in the long run.
Customers who compare the best business broadband suppliers are also more likely to get a competitive deal. Lots of suppliers guarantee similar speeds and offer similar features, so it is worth surveying the market and finding the cheapest deal. Our business utilities comparison generator helps business owners compare prices at the touch of a button.
Virgin Media Business is part of the Virgin group. It was formerly known as ntl: Telewest Business. It was first established in 2010 and caters to small and medium sizes businesses. In 2013, it became part of Liberty Global plc and became the world’s leading broadband communications company. Together, these companies serve 25 million customers in 14 countries. It is unclear how many Virgin Media Business broadband customers reside in the UK.
XLN was first established in 2002. XLN broadband is unique in that it is tailored toward small businesses. It supports 700,000 business owners in the UK. Seamless switching and unrivalled customer service are just a few of the things that business owners can expect.
Virgin business broadband customers can choose from four packages. Voom Fibre, Voom Fibre 2, Voom Fibre 3, and Voom 500 are tailored to small and medium-sized businesses. As the name suggests, customers can expect excellent speeds. Virgin specialises in lightning-fast speeds. The Voom range promises upload speeds of up to 50Mbps and download speeds of up to 500Mbps. This telecoms giant claims that its speeds are six times faster than BT and Sky’s standard speeds. All the packages in the Voom range are available on 24-month contracts.
Voom Fibre 1 promises upload speeds of up to 20Mbps and download speeds of up to 350Mbps. This package only comes with a dynamic IP; static IPs are not available. Customers can expect glitches and errors to be fixed within 48 hours of the initial report.
Voom Fibre 2 Virgin Media business broadband offers slightly better upload speeds and resolution times. It features upload speeds of up to 30Mbps and download speeds of up to 350Mbps. Customers can choose a static or dynamic IP. Issues will be resolved within 24 hours of the initial report.
Voom Fibre 3 comes with upload speeds of up to 40Mbps and download speeds of up to 350Mbps. Customers can secure up to five dynamic or static IPs. Complaints will be resolved within 24 hours of the initial report.
Voom 500 has the best speeds of all the Virgin business broadband packages. It comes with upload speeds of up to 50Mbps and download speeds of up to 500Mbps. Five static or dynamic IPs are included, and errors are fixed within 12 hours of the initial report.
Prospective XLN business broadband customers can choose from three deals called Broadband Phone & UK Calls, Superfast Fibre Phone & UK Calls, and Free Public WiFi. They are all available on 18-month contracts. Lots of small and startup businesses prefer 18-month contracts over 24-month contracts because they allow for growth and development.
The Broadband Phone & UK Calls package is ideal for people who want affordable business essentials. It features speeds of up to 17Mbs, unlimited UK calls, a free plug-and-play router, a liner rental, and the option to keep existing numbers.
The second XLN broadband package is called Superfast Fibre Phone & UK Calls. It is identical to the first package, except it promises upload speeds of up to 76Mbs and added internet security. Internet security features are perfect for businesses that handle sensitive information. Business owners can also ass Guest WiFi to this deal. The first two XLN packages come with a free plug-and-play router that requires a one-off £9.99 post and packaging payment.
Free Public WiFi Service is the final deal. It is tailored to hospitality, restaurant, and entertainment environments. Customers in these spaces can surf for free with Free Public WiFi. It is a hassle-free service that guarantees no setup costs, no complex configurations, and no password sharing.
Winner: Virgin Media business broadband wins this round because it has more packages and better speeds. 1 megabit per second (Mbps) is equal to 0.125 megabytes per second (Mbs), which means that Virgin Media’s speeds are far faster. It is the best business broadband provider for businesses that need ultrafast speeds.
Most large telecommunications companies cast their nets far and wide to secure as many customers as possible. Despite being one of the biggest telecommunications providers in the UK, Virgin focuses on small and medium-sized businesses.
Virgin business broadband speeds are far faster than XLN broadband speeds. We recommend Virgin for small and medium-sized businesses that require reliable, fast speeds for their day-to-day operations. E-commerce businesses and call centres that have 50 or fewer employees will benefit from guaranteed fast speeds.
XLN business broadband deals are specifically designed to support business owners. The deals also include features for phones, which makes them perfect for business owners who want comprehensive packages.
XLN also has a unique offering for public establishments. XLN’s Free Public WiFi Service deal is suited to small establishments such as local restaurants, entertainment facilities, bars, and other public spaces that would benefit from free surfing.
Winner: Virgin Media business broadband cinches the win. Virgin deals are suitable for small and medium-sized businesses, whereas XLN broadband deals are only tailored to small businesses.
Even the best business broadband providers conceal prices. In most cases, prospective customers have to have to request a quote to see the full extent of their monthly bills. Other providers include package prices on their websites, but these prices often only represent the minimum amount.
Business owners will be glad to find out that both Virgin and XLN are transparent about their prices. Virgin business broadband customers can choose from four deals. Voom Fibe 1 is £32 a month, Voom Fibre 2 is £47 a month, Voom Fibre 3 is £50 a month, and Voom 500 is £62. The only cravat is that these prices are subject to 20% VAT.
As with Virgin, XLN prices are visible on the website. Business owners can secure Broadband Phone & UK Calls for £27.95 per month. This deal is labelled as an affordable business essential. Superfast Fibre Phone & UK Calls is the best value for money. It is available from £29.95 per month. XLN broadband customers can save up to £377 on this deal compared to a similar deal from BT. XLN’s Free Public WiFi Service is available for £15 a month. Potential XLN customers should be aware that these prices are the minimum prices, and that they might be quoted more for the same deal.
Winner: XLN business broadband wins this round because it promises cheaper prices! However, customers should note that the cost of XLN broadband packages can vary, whereas Virgin prices are set.
When it comes to connectivity services, it is important to consider customer service ratings. The race to offer bigger and better speeds is officially on. More and more suppliers are offering unbeatable speeds. Lots of suppliers fail to back up their claims, and customers have to resort to customer service procedures to file complaints. Even the best business broadband providers have poor procedures in place for dissatisfied customers.
At Love Energy Savings, we depend on Trustpilot for relevant customer reviews. It is important to note that some companies create separate accounts for different customers. Virgin has a business account, whereas XLN does not. XLN only has one account because it only caters to business customers.
Virgin has 1.2/5 stars and an overall rating of bad on Trustpilot. Only 3% of customers think that the service is excellent, whereas an overwhelming 94% think that the service is bad. Excellent reviews mention reliable lightning speeds, whereas bad reviews complain about customer service representatives who have poor product knowledge. A Virgin Media business broadband representative replies to all reviews with solutions and contact details.
XLN has 4.5/5 stars and an overall rating of excellent on Trustpilot. In stark contrast to Virgin, the majority of XLN broadband customers think that the service is excellent. 81% of customers think that the service is excellent, whereas 11% of customers think that the service is bad. Excellent reviews applaud the ‘helpful and friendly customer service representatives, and negative reviews talk about the inexperienced staff. A representative from XLN only replies to select reviews.
Winner: XLN business broadband has far better reviews than Virgin business broadband. XLN could improve its offering by replying to all reviews.
Telecommunications companies can have excellent customer service practices, but poor transparency. No matter how good the services are, if the contact numbers are not readily available customers will fall through the cracks.
Customers can easily find contact information for both Virgin Media business broadband and XLN broadband. True to its reputation as a telecommunications giant, Virgin Media has a dedicated page for customer support. Customers can access tailored support by clicking on options for small businesses, medium and enterprise businesses, public sector organisations, and wholesale companies.
Once customers have chosen the option that best suits them, they have a whole host of tailored options. Small business owners can call a number to reach the customer care, installation query, and sales teams. There is even a number for customers to report a fault. Virgin business broadband is perfect for people who want detailed, transparent support information. Virgin even tells customers which numbers to choose for different departments, which eliminates a lot of the frustration associated with call centre support.
Likewise, XLN business broadband customers can access customer support numbers at a moment’s notice. They can call the technical support, customer service, and sales teams. There is even an email address and live chat function for customers who want to avoid speaking to someone over the phone. Unlike Virgin, XLN does not provide detailed information about customer support. It is unclear what times the lines are open, and there is no additional information about accessing bills and fixing errors online.
Winner: Virgin Media business broadband wins! This broadband supplier provides clear, concise information about customer support. Customers will never be left in the dark with Virgin.
If you are searching for the best business broadband provider, it is worth looking for new customer incentives. Lots of service providers create new customer incentives to sign more contracts. Incentives include vouchers, credit, and even cash. Sometimes suppliers will reduce the cost of one of their existing deals for new customers.
Unfortunately, big telecom companies rarely offer new customer incentives. Most established providers do not have to worry about customer acquisition. Their reputations secure new customers.
Winner: Neither Virgin nor XLN offers new customer incentives, which means that this round is a draw.
In the battle between these two telecoms giants, Virgin Media business broadband wins! This provider has an undeniable reputation as one of the biggest and best business broadband companies in the UK. We recommend Virgin to small and medium-sized businesses that need tailored services, set prices, and detailed customer support information.
However, Virgin fails where XLN succeeds. XLN broadband is best suited to small business owners who want to speak to knowledgeable, friendly customer support representatives. This relatively new broadband company lives up to its reputation as a provider of unrivalled customer support.
The best business broadband is only a moment away. At Love Energy Savings, we help small, medium, and large businesses transition to broadband deals that suit their needs. No matter how many employees you have or what you depend on broadband for, there is a package that will make your day-to-day operations run smoothly.
Our business utilities comparison generator is designed to support you. It was built by telecommunications experts who understand the broadband landscape. It takes just 60 seconds to input your details. Press the button, wait 60 seconds, and let the generator do the rest. Then, you can browse through a list of compatible providers and deals.
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Selecting the right business broadband deal is crucial to the operation of any company. Here's what you need to know.
October 2021
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