Small Business Broadband Guide

Selecting the right business broadband deal is crucial to the operation of any company. Whilst you may be tempted to purchase a domestic fibre broadband package, a business's requirements are slightly different.

Home vs Business Broadband Deals

Whilst purchasing broadband may be about getting the upload and download speeds. However, business broadband requires much more including security, greater reliability, traffic management and the capability to upscale as the business grows.

Here are some considerations when selecting business broadband packages:

• Better Service - it is crucial to have a stable internet connection. Businesses require much more from their internet providers. Any downtime to a business's internet connection can cause significant losses in revenue. A business broadband package does come with better customer support to ensure that any downtime is kept to a minimum.
  
  
• Greater broadband speeds - many businesses rely on more advanced technologies that require an internet connection such as VoIP. It's crucial that business broadband speed meets the requirements to be able to perform the everyday tasks of business customers. Business broadband speeds are marketed much more accurately and broadband providers tend to deliver close to promised speeds.
  
  
• Traffic Management - whilst business broadband is not entirely exempt from the peak usage slowdown in speeds, they do get prioritisation over domestic customer traffic.

What If My Business Broadband Is Too Slow?

Sometimes restarting your broadband router is enough to fix any issues with your connection. 

Many companies purchase the cheapest available broadband when they start up, but do not improve their package when they grow. You can check your broadband speed here to see if you require better speeds. 

Sometimes business broadband speed is not enough or a reliable internet connection is not available. Many companies are not aware that the fastest, most reliable internet connection is a leased line.

A leased line is a dedicated internet connection with a fixed-bandwidth connection. This dedicated line skips the exchange and is delivered straight to your business premises. This means it is completely exempt from peak usage slow down and you are guaranteed an exact upload and download speed.

Who Are Leased Lines For?

Leased lines are great for any business. However, businesses that require ultra-fast download speed will see the biggest benefits.

As all business phone connections will need to use the VoIP system by 2025. This will allow a growing business to upscale their business much more smoothly as they grow in size and add more users.

For businesses who can lose £1000s for each hour of internet connection downtime, a leased line is a great option. Leased line deals come with added service and any faults are prioritised and fixed within hours, rather than days. With an account manager just a phone call away, they will work rapidly to keep your connection up and running.

You can read more about leased lines here.

How Much Does A Leased Line Cost?

Leased business broadband costs can be anywhere from £150 to over £1,000 a month. The price largely depends on several factors, but the main one is location.

Here's an average breakdown of leased lines' cost by UK location:

• London: £233.33 per month
• Birmingham: £276.50 per month
• Manchester: £248.50 per month
• Bristol: £277.87 per month

More rural areas cost much more and may require an installation fee depending on the distance the line has to travel to directly feed into your business premises.

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