How to get the most from your business broadband

Whether you're an SME or a large corporation, it's more important than ever to choose the best broadband for your business operations. After all, in today's fast-paced digital world, reliable internet connectivity isn't just a luxury—it’s a necessity.

With so many business broadband providers out there, all promising the world, how do you know which one to choose?

We know that picking the best broadband provider can be overwhelming. There's not just lots of business broadband deals to choose from: you've also got to navigate confusing technical jargon, and lots of different price points.

In this guide, we hope to simplify the decision-making process and help business owners navigate confidently through the complexities of finding the best broadband solutions.

Making it easier to find the best business broadband

Our research with small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has revealed some common pain points, and we’re going to address them head-on with clear guidance and a focus on exceptional service.

In this guide, we’ll not only demystify key broadband concepts, but also show you why full fibre broadband could be the game-changer your business needs to thrive in a competitive environment.

By the end, you should have the knowledge to choose the right business broadband package and optimise your internet connection for maximum productivity and scalability.

First things first: why full fibre broadband?

Before diving into the specifics of choosing the right business broadband provider, it’s important to understand why full fibre broadband is becoming the gold standard for businesses.

Unlike traditional broadband options (such as DSL or cable), full fibre delivers internet via fibre-optic cables directly to your premises. These cables can transfer data better than copper cables, ensuring a more reliable connection that works at faster speeds.

As well as being great for productivity in the short term, it can also future-proof your connectivity by scaling alongside your business's needs.

Key benefits of choosing full fibre broadband for your business

• Lightning-fast speeds: Enjoy key business activities like video conferencing and cloud computing without any frustrating lag
• Unmatched reliability: Less prone to outages and service disruptions compared to other types of broadband
• Future-proofing: As your business grows, full fibre can easily handle higher data demands without compromising performance.

Now, let’s look at how to choose the best broadband provider to make sure you get the most out of your connection.

Step-by-step guide to choosing the best business broadband

1. Start by identifying your business needs

Every company is unique, and your business broadband connection should match your specific requirements. Start by asking:

• How many employees will be using the internet?
• What kind of activities will they doing (e.g., VoIP calls, video conferencing, using cloud-based services like Google Docs)?
• Do you need symmetrical speeds (equal upload and download speeds) for large file transfers?

Understanding your current and future needs will help you avoid under- (or over-) provisioning your broadband service.

2. Shortlist providers based on your needs

Once you’ve outlined your broadband requirements, research and create a shortlist of internet service providers (ISPs) that offer business broadband deals. Then go through them to make sure they meet the four important considerations that we’ll discuss next.

Four things to consider when choosing a business broadband package

1. Cost

Compare the base monthly costs of different plans, but don't just focus on price—look at what you’re getting in terms of speed, reliability, and service. It's all about price-quality ratio. Who offers the best ‘bang for your buck’?

Next, look at the contract terms. Check the contract length and look out for early termination fees. 

The most desirable contract terms will depend on what your needs are. If you want to be flexible, it might be worth the extra cost that a short-term contract brings. Otherwise, you might get some cost savings for longer term commitment.

Finally, look for hidden fees like setup costs, equipment rentals, and charges for going over data caps.

2. Scalability

A scalable business broadband connection is important if you're planning to grow your company – and who isn’t?

As your business expands, whether that’s in terms of team or workload, so will your bandwidth needs. Choose a plan that can grow alongside you, so you can easily upgrade to faster speeds when you need to.

Check that your business broadband provider can offer seamless upgrades to your broadband speed so that you can scale things up without any disruption to your service.

3. Full fibre vs. other technologies

We've already mentioned that full fibre business broadband is likely to be the best option, but what other types of broadband are there?

• Full fibre (FTTP): the best choice for speed, reliability, and future-proofing. It delivers high consistent speeds and radical reliabilty: ideal for businesses with heavy data demands.
• Cable: a viable option, but has slower speeds and is less reliable than full fibre.
• DSL: While more affordable, DSL is significantly slower and may not support modern business needs such as cloud-based applications or large data transfers.

4. Additional features and services

Another thing to think about is whether your business needs additional features that you can only get from a business broadband package.

One of the benefits of business broadband is the ability to have a static IP address. If you want to run your own servers or need remote access, a static IP provides better security and helps things run more smoothly.

Business-grade broadband should also provide priority customer service. Choosing a provider that offers dedicated customer service with rapid response times will ensure that you're always up and running.

Other useful services will depend on your organisational needs. It might include solutions like VoIP, cloud storage, or managed IT support as part of a bundled package.

How to optimise your business broadband connection: our top tips

Once your business broadband service is up and running, you can follow these tips to maximise its potential:

1. Upgrade your hardware

Outdated Wi-Fi routers or network equipment can cause bottlenecks, resulting in slow speeds. Make sure you have the latest technology to handle superfast speeds.

2. Segment your network

Create separate networks for different functions like guest Wi-Fi and internal operations. As well as improving security, it can also enhance performance as it stops network traffic from any one area hogging all the bandwidth.

3. Use monitoring tools

Network monitoring software can help identify potential issues before they get bad. Check your bandwidth usage to make sure you're staying within your plan’s limits, and optimise performance by detecting bottlenecks.

4. Prioritise security

With more data being transmitted at higher speeds, ensuring the security of your network is crucial. Invest in firewalls, encryption, and regular software updates to protect your sensitive business information.

5. Educate your employees

Make sure your team understands basic network hygiene, such as recognising phishing scams, using secure passwords, and avoiding unsecured websites. A well-informed workforce is the first line of defense against cyber threats.

Expert insight: why choose Future Connected Fibre for business broadband

We know that there are lots of business broadband providers to choose from – including some massive household names. At Future Connected Fibre, we believe we’re the best option because our tailored full fibre broadband solutions are designed with business owners in mind.

“At Future Connected Fibre, we know that every business is different” says Elaine Burns, General Manager of Future Connected Fibre. “That’s why we offer tailored solutions – including bespoke network design, single and multi-site capability, and end-to-end fibre connectivity.”

“We’ve spoken to lots of businesses and understand their broadband pain points. That’s why we pride ourselves on superfast speeds and radical reliability. We’re on a mission to end frozen conference calls, file download errors and the wheel of doom. We also have a great customer service team who can get you back up and running on the rare occasions something does go wrong”

Our business broadband services are built to ensure:

• Maximum uptime with proactive monitoring and dedicated business support.
• Business broadband scalability so you can upgrade as you grow, without expensive overhauls.
• Security with built-in safeguards to protect your data and operations.

Making the smart choice for your business

Investing in the right broadband solution is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your business’s infrastructure. Full fibre broadband offers unparalleled speed, reliability, and scalability to support your business now and into the future. With the right provider and a tailored plan, you can optimize your connectivity and focus on what matters most: growing your business.

If you're ready to make the switch to full fibre, contact us today to learn how we can help your business stay connected and competitive.