| Broadband explained |
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How much impact would it have on your online business if you lost your internet connection for 48 hours? It is quite amazing how many calls our tech support team can get in a single week, telling us that one of our servers is down and that their website is not available. This used to get me in quite a panic, but over the months and years a pattern has emerged. Now, the first question we ask anyone who phones up with this problem is, “If you type http://www.google.com into your browser, does the Google website appear?” Invariably the answer is no. The reason for this is either their broadband is completely down or is running very, very slowly. This means no email, no websites, and no connection to the rest of the internet. The next question is, “What should I do now?” Many people do not know what to do or who to contact when their broadband stops working, and this is where it can get very expensive in the amount of business that is lost. It is also frustrating because there is very little that you can actually do. If you have a proper Business Broadband package from one of the major ISPs (i.e. BT Business, Virgin Media Business, etc.) you will already have a dedicated support team. But there are a huge number of people who currently run their online businesses using a residential broadband connection and if that includes you, then you are unlikely to have this kind of facility – leaving you in the lap of the Gods as to the quality of the support you may or may not receive. This practice is fraught with danger, as a business connection offers many advantages over a residential one. The table below gives just a small glimpse of ‘Residential vs Business Broadband’:
Whatever the size of your business, a specialist business broadband package is really an essential addition to your business toolkit. Even for a small home based operation, relying on a domestic broadband package can leave you open to continuity problems if your connection goes down, and as you get to larger sized businesses you simply have to have a higher level of service and capability. The costs are actually comparable between the two – you usually pay a little extra for a business product, but you get so much more for your money. But most importantly, if your broadband is critical to your business, make sure you pick a business provider that can offer you everything you need to keep you and your business online. |
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