Sometimes, it can be tricky to choose the right internet plan for your home. There are many things that go into consideration when you are making the decision. For instance, how many Mbps do you require, and the number of devices you wish to connect. Also, you have to look at the cost factor. If you are running a business from home then the process of selecting the ISP becomes much more complicated.
What Are Your Options?
Do you have a small business that you are running from home? If yes, then different ISPs such as Spectrum internet will offer you two options; residential internet and business internet. You will have to choose between the two that can help you run your operations easily and smoothly.
Residential Internet
Residential internet is the one that you normally use at home. It comes with lower starting speeds along with asymmetrical upload and download speeds. Depending on your location, you can opt for a cheap internet connection for as little as $20 per month.
Business Internet
It refers to a special internet connection that is solely dedicated to operating business activities. Such a connection comes with incredibly fast upload and download speeds. Plus, the network will provide you with robust customer service. However, it will cost you more than the residential internet.
Residential vs Business Internet
If you are a small business owner then remember that saving a few bucks now might cost you somewhere down the line. Since the differences between residential and business internet are a bit critical, here are some of the factors that you should consider.
#1. Parity
Residential along with a few business internet providers offers attractive deals that feature impressive download speeds. However, the upload speed is often compromised. It is important to understand that download speeds alone will not allow you to run your business operations successfully. For instance, if you created content for clients then how would you send it to them if you have a slow upload speed. The best thing about business internet is that such a connection will provide you with the same download and upload speed which is known as parity. Whereas, in residential internet, throttled upload speed is the norm.
#2. Service Level Agreements
Also known as SLA, it is a contract between the customer and their service provider. This document states the services which the provider will offer and clearly defines the performance standards. They are designed to manage the expectations of the customers. Also, this is to let the users know when they are not responsible for performance issues or outages. Through this, the customers of the business internet are made aware of all the possibilities. SLA also includes a clause of compensation which the users would receive if the stated level of service is not met successfully. Whereas, the users of residential internet will only receive best-effort promises.
#3. Static IP
Opting for a business internet will give you a static Internet Protocol address which will be assigned by your service provider. If in case, it has not been provided, you can easily create one. Also known as a fixed address, a static IP address is best for hosting an email server or a website from your location. In addition, you can access air conditioning, heating or video camera controls via static IP.
For residential internet users, you will be provided with a dynamic IP address. It is temporary and will change every time your computer or device accesses the internet connection. The good thing is that dynamic IP can also be used to gain the controls of the security cameras just like static IPs.
#4. Price
Business internet connections usually cost more than residential internet connections. However, you shouldn’t let the lowest cost become the deciding factor when it comes to choosing between the two. You have to see the bigger picture. Think about the losses your business might suffer due to a slow internet connection. You can always compare the prices of business internet connection along with the features to select the best one.
#5. Speed
In general, the speed of business internet is two to five times faster as compared to residential internet. This means you can get more people to do more tasks quickly. Installing a residential connection won’t make sense as it will not be able to offer the speed you require. Plus, the lower download and upload speeds will make you extremely frustrated.
Conclusion
A small business owner might get confused when it comes to choosing a residential or business internet connection. However, considering the points stated above, it clearly indicates how opting for a business connection will prove to be beneficial in the long run. I remember when my friend started a small initiative from home. He called the Spectrum phone number (1-855-837-6837) to get their business internet which proved to be really helpful for him. So, if you too are planning to launch a small business then you can do what he did to operate smoothly.
