Business Broadband

Choosing a Business Broadband Solution

Choosing a business Broadband package can be a difficult decision for two reasons. The first reason is that the Internet has become a crucial tool within organisations and therefore it is equally crucial that an Internet connection that meets the needs of the organisation is selected as this could affect the organisations performance.

Secondly, it is difficult to compare and assess each Broadband package to see whether it will meet the organisations needs in the long term without causing any issues. Below are some of the Internet technologies that are available, including the features and benefits of each one.

	DSL Broadband	Wireless Broadband	Cable Broadband
Monthly Cost	Starts at approx. Free-£45 for ADSL per month	Starts at approx. Free-£45 per month	£15-£35 per month
Speed	Approx. 512Kbps to 24 Mbps	Approx. 2 Mbps - 24 Mbps	Approx. 2 Mbps - 20 Mbps
Hardware Requirements	DSL modem (often included). If you want to connect multiple computers: one DSL router (approx. £50-£200)	Wireless (WI-FI) equipped laptop/PDA.	Cable Modem (Usually included). If you have multiple computers then you might need cable router to share connection.
Advantages	Always on connection Can use a telephone and Internet simultaneously Wide variety of speeds and prices. Large choice of service providers (ISPs)	Always on connection when connected. Requires you to be in a wireless hotspot. Your ISP will provide a list of sites. Does not support wireless roaming. Large choice of service providers (ISPs)	Wide availability on cable networks Relatively inexpensive Less choice of service providers.
Disadvantages	Available only in limited areas but this is changing rapidly Speed vary widely Some providers have monthly download limits. (1GB per month is typical) Requires special termination equipment to be fitted by the telecom company at both ends of the telephone line. Exposes computer to Internet so you need to install firewall software.	Available only in limited areas usually public areas like airports, train stations etc Speed varies depending on signal quality. Exposes computer to Internet so you need to install firewall software.	Sharing with neighbours poses some unique security risks and congestion problems Router required for more than one computer Primarily for home users
Suitability	DSL is suitable for very heavy Internet users and multiple computers (small office or home network). If you regularly download or upload large files like music, video or pictures then this type of connection is the one you need.	Wireless broadband is suitable for mobile users. It has similar speeds to DSL and so is also suitable for very heavy Internet users and multiple computers (small office or home network). If you regularly download or upload large files like music, video or pictures then this type of connection is the one you need.	For very heavy Internet users and multiple computers (small office or home network). If you regularly download or upload large files like music, video or pictures then this type of connection is the one you need. You will need access to a cable broadband service – this will depend on your area.

Continued...

	Dial-Up Analogue Connection -56K	ISDN	Leased Line
Monthly Cost	Varies from 1p per minute to £13 per month (unlimited access)	As Analogue dial up	Starts at approx. £1000 per month
Speed	Up to 56Kbps	64Kbps - 128Kbps	64kbps – 45Mbps
Hardware Requirements	56k modem included in most modern PCs (approx. £25-£50 )	ISDN card (£30-£60) or router ( £200-£300)	Installation same a ordinary telephone lines
Advantages	Inexpensive Wide availability	Lets you talk and surf simultaneously. Faster than 56kbps analogue Suitable for attaching more than 1 PC to the Internet ( 2-6 light users)	High availability Faster download and upload speeds A wide choice of bandwidths Guaranteed bandwidth for business usage
Disadvantages	Using a modem ties up a phone line Connection is not “always on” Slowest access method Security danger see rogue Internet diallers	Difficult to setup Available only in limited areas Requires special termination equipment to be fitted by the telecom company at both ends of the telephone line Outdated being replaced by DSL Not practical for more than 6 computers (depending on usage) Security danger see rogue Internet diallers	Not economically viable for many organisations Not readily available High set-up costs High maintenance costs
Suitability	Basic Internet browsing and email. Not suitable if regularly downloading or uploading large files like music, video or pictures. With the rapid adoption of DSL dial up access is often only used as a secondary/ backup Internet access method for mobile users. You should be very wary of this connection type due to Rogue Internet Dialler software.	Basic Internet browsing and email and connection sharing. Not suitable if regularly downloading or uploading very large files like music, video or pictures. You should be very wary of this connection type due to rogue internet dialler software.	Suitable for organisations that have a high bandwidth usage and also for organisations with in-house web hosting. Not suitable for single or home workers.

Head Office: Xrio Ltd - 357 Roundhay Road - Leeds - West Yorkshire - Great Britain - LS8 4BU - Call: (UK) 08456 443 226 - (International) +44 113 322 0031 - Email: sales@xrio.com - E&OE
Copyright ©2008 Xrio Limited All Rights Reserved. Xrio™ UBM™ & Unified Bandwidth Management™ are trademarks of Xrio Limited. Privacy Policy Sitemap