Sky Business has partnered up with Small Business to take you through what you should be looking for in your business broadband provider and package.
Cost of contract and hidden fees
The cost of your broadband is, of course, one of your primary concerns when you begin to look at bundles. When looking at the cost, it will likely be broken down into a monthly fee that runs for a minimum contract (which is usually 24 months but can vary).
Some providers offer month-to-month broadband which you can cancel any time, but for business broadband, you’re more likely to need a contract. Sometimes price increases can occur in the middle of your contract, but planned legislation from the UK government could soon put an end to this.
The UK broadband industry is incredibly competitive, so make sure you’re always comparing prices as you go before you settle on a specific bundle.
Download and upload speeds
Other than cost, speed is the most important number for broadband deals. Most businesses these days require a decent level of speed, which generally means 100Mbps and over.
Thankfully, providers have realised this and rarely feature speeds under that figure, with most now offering up to 500 or even 1000Mbps. Remember that, even if you’re working from your home office, no business can afford a slow connection.
If your business involves uploading content online, you’ll need to keep an eye on upload speeds too. These are generally lower than advertised download speeds for standard products, but business broadband often includes faster uploads for commercial purposes.
Download limits
Some providers charge beyond a certain limit, but thankfully unlimited downloads are ubiquitous in the UK broadband market. While you might be able to find packages with download limits, these are often reserved for standard home broadband rather than business-oriented products.
The switching process
If you’re already using a broadband provider, the switching process is something you’ll need to consider. The majority of UK broadband providers run on the Openreach network – BT’s fibre-optic line that has been rolled out to much of the country. This means that there’s a good chance you won’t need any installation work done, and your new provider can switch you over quickly.
If you’re with a provider that runs on its own cable, such as Virgin Media, switching will require some engineering work, but this will be arranged by your new provider and is usually a simple job.
>See also: Rural broadband: how to improve your speed
Phone services
Not all broadband providers offer phone services as part of their broadband packages, due to many businesses only needing broadband and choosing to use a mobile phone for their business calls.
If you do require phone services, make sure your chosen supplier offers them. You should be able to get them bundled in with your broadband for a reduced monthly fee rather than paying for them separately.
Cybersecurity
Malware, phishing emails and hackers all threaten your business, so it’s good to get peace of mind. Some business broadband providers offer cybersecurity software as a part of their packages, so if this is a concern for you, it’s worth looking into.
Third-party services for payroll (such as Quickbooks) will have their own, built-in security, as does Microsoft Windows, so should have plenty of options on this front.
What happens if the service does go down?
How fast will your broadband be back up and running if you experience is a concern you might have, especially if you live in an area with patchy broadband coverage. Some broadband providers now have a 4G back-up system that kicks in if your wired broadband goes down. EE, for example, have made this a core part of their service.
In a rural area where 4G coverage might not be up to standard, you could mitigate for this by making sure your main devices are connected via ethernet cable, giving you a more secure line.
Does the provider provide a static IP address?
A static IP address is essentially one that is assigned to a specific device and stays there no matter where that device is. These are handy for web-based businesses or if you need to access systems remotely.
While some broadband packages offer this service, don’t worry too much if your chosen one doesn’t – VPN services such as Nord VPN can sure up your internet security with these sorts of features.
Can I scale up my business broadband package if I need more phone lines?
You should check how flexible your broadband provider is if you want to upgrade your plan in the middle of your contract. Needing equipment because your business is growing is a problem everyone wants to have, but even if you’re just starting your business journey, it’s worth planning ahead to make sure you’re covered.