For small business owners, there are a number of important decisions to make when you’re starting up.  One of those important decisions is choosing a suitable Internet service to keep your office connected.

In this regard, there are a few important considerations you should take into account including:

• What are your current bandwidth requirements in the office?
• How scalable is the service to support your future growth?
• What type of technology is delivering the internet connection to your office?

To help you evaluate your own business’s internet connection, here are three things you should consider when selecting a plan and provider:

Bandwidth requirements

Bandwidth is the amount of information that an internet connection can send and receive.  It is typically measured in megabits per second (Mbps).  To evaluate how much bandwidth your business needs, evaluate “upload” vs. “download” activities:

• Bandwidth is measured in two directions: up and down.  Tasks such as email, e-commerce, web browsing and downloading will consume the most download bandwidth.
• Other tasks, including processing credit card transactions, VOIP, uploading content to store on the web and video calling will consume the most upload bandwidth on a regular basis.

Once you’ve got an idea of what you will use the Internet for on a daily basis, consider the number of people who will be using the internet simultaneously to determine what bandwidth will work for you.  For example, if you have 5 people is an office that mostly e-mail and browse the web, you can be confident that 4-5 Mbps for your office will provide each person with the speed they need.  However, if those 5 people need to frequently view videos, download and share large files, and video conference, you’ll require more bandwidth to support this.

Scalability

As your business grows or you begin using applications that rely more heavily on the Internet, you will want to  have the ability to easily upgrade your internet service without interruption to your daily operation.

To start with the right plan for your business, think about how much time you spend downloading and uploading content, and then ask your internet provider about suitable plans based on your requirements.

Core Network Technology

Consistent download and upload speed is based on type of technology that is delivered your building, for example fiber optic or coaxial cable. This aspect may seem technical but understanding how your internet connection works allows you to ensure speed and reliability for your business.

Rogers utilizes a combination of fiber optic and coaxial cable to bring the internet to small businesses.  Unlike combinations of fiber optic cable and phone line, this means that your office will consistently receive faster download and upload speeds.

To learn more about business internet and the options available for your small business, you can check out www.rogers.com/businessinternet or contact a Small Business Specialist.

Alex is a regular contributor to Redboard Biz