How to source the best business broadband

The internet is used by nearly every company in the UK at one point or another. Whether it’s to advertise your business, or keep in touch with clients, at one point or another you’ll need fast, reliable broadband to get some work done.

That’s why looking specifically for business broadband is a good idea, as it means you’ll get a high level of service, and support if things go wrong. But how do you choose the right broadband for your business?

Look at bundles

In addition to internet, some providers can also give you a business phone line, and having things ‘bundled’ together can save you money. Uswitch have a long list of business broadband providers, detailing what they can offer, both in terms of speed and reliability, and extras included in the price. Remember that it’s not always the cheapest that’s the best choice, rather the provider who offer the best value. Compare broadband service as well as price of different providers.

Speed and reliability

Most broadband comparison sites will publish a maximum or average speed for each provider, as well as statistics as to how reliable the service can be. This should give you a general idea of whether the network will be available when you need it, and how quickly issues are resolved. Alternatively, by checking sites like Speedcheck.org, you can gauge the average speed of internet service providers available to you.

Reliability is key with business networks as down time can mean money going out the door. The longer it takes to resolve an issue, the bigger the potential loss to you, so you want to know how responsive their technical support team will be.

Special deals

They’ll often be amazing deals for the first six months or year of your contact. Keep an eye out for special deals on broadband, and take note of the terms and conditions. You can then see what you’ll be paying during the special offer period, and how much this will change once the trial is over.

With a discount code, you can sometimes get free gifts thrown in with your package. Many providers like Talk Talk, BT and Sky give you the chance to enter a code at the checkout, which then gives you free stuff. For example, Virgin have these codes available online now.

When it comes to business products, the highest levels of customer service are essential, and you need to know that they’ll be responsive to any issues. Look at:

• Where contact centres are based.
• The service level agreements offered.
• Reviews other business owners have left.
• How quickly complaints are dealt with.

Usage

If it’s just yourself using the broadband, then you may not need to high a usage cap, but if you’ve got a whole office sharing a connection, then unlimited usage is useful. Remember that every download, video, or song streamed can soon add up, so if employees are using the internet on their breaks too then you might need a high cap.

When you’re starting a business, you’ll no doubt use the internet a lot, and there’s so much it can do to help you. However, having the right broadband is essential to the process, ensuring that the connection is reliable and fast, so you don’t end up losing money.