Broadband Internet: Is it Worth Your Money?
You may have picked the cheapest package offering what you thought was reasonable bandwidth when you picked your first broadband service. However, the Internet, specifically high speed Internet, has grown to be an excellent tool for business beyond the realm of email and research.
High speed Internet, for all its mystery, means many things. “Fast” internet for email will not be “fast” for graphics-heavy pages and downloading. However, it is obvious that dial-up is out of the equation, especially if you’re looking to power business applications with your Internet service. DSL broadband service is usually sufficient for ordinary tasks. However, an excellent choice for Internet that will be shared by many office users simultaneously is the T1 Internet service, at 1.544 MBPS. A service worth about 28 T1 services working altogether, the T3 line, is suitable for when the Internet is going to be used for video and telephone purposes.
Regardless of the agreement you signed with your service provider, the actual broadband speed that you will experience will vary with use. If there are huge discrepancies (as you may be able to check on CNET Bandwidth Tester), don’t be afraid to call up your service provider.
With your high speed Internet service (a DSL service, at a minimum), you can make use of what’s known as a virtual private network (VPN), which allows you to create a secure connection between an external computer you are accessing, and your office network. If this is something that would be useful for you in your business (so that you will be able to run office network applications and run your business on the go), make sure to ask your broadband provider, look into VPN contractors (as those found in Business.com), or inquire at Microsoft tech support.
Now, with 100 or more employees, you may also consider getting a static IP address. This is a permanent web address that allows you to host your own website, make long-distance calls using your broadband Internet service, and manage email at a reduced cost. Internet service providers like Time Warner, Verizon, and Voicenet, already offer these static IP addresses. These service providers also offer information on such.
Another option for web-based phone calls is through Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), which is a much cheaper option compared to making calls across territories over a regular phone service. While it may be complicated, a fast connection configured for VoIP may provide savings for companies already running with a complex lot of servers.
VoIP service plans are already available from AT&T, Covad, Lingo, Optimum, and Sprint.
With a high speed Internet connection, it will be easy for you to integrate data from various office locations, allowing for video conferencing, file sharing, and online meetings. Meeting software are in fact available, including Microsoft SharePoint, GoToMeeting, and WebEx.
For all these purposes, make sure that the Internet speed offered to you by your service provider is able to meet the requirements of multiple users, peak use, and the use of these multiple services at the same time.