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Business Internet Service for Small, Medium, and Large Companies

The size of your company is generally the primary determining factor in selecting a business Internet service. However, other issues can dictate which service is right for you.

Very Small and Small Businesses (under 5 employees; 5-20 employees)

Typically, small (and very small) companies can operate effectively and efficiently with cable or DSL business Internet service. These options offer affordable prices and provide the appropriate level of speed and security for companies where data is important but not mission critical.

If data transcends mere importance and does become mission critical, however, T1 service will be more effective. In order to keep costs down, you can also look for “integrated” T1 options. These allow you to combine both voice and data services on a single T1 line, so you can receive substantial savings if you’re not using enough of both voice and data services to justify dedicated lines.  Click Here for Free Integrated Quotes.

T1 services generally require you to sign a contract lasting anywhere from one to three years. If you’re planning on moving offices within that time, or if you’re leasing space on a month-to-month basis, you should hold off on adopting T1 services and stay with DSL or cable until you’ve moved into a space for the long-term.

Medium Sized Businesses (20-100 employees)

There are several options for your medium sized businesses if neither data nor voice is mission critical. You can opt to stay with POTS (plain old telephone service) for your voice needs and cable or DSL for your data needs. However, just as with small businesses, if data is mission critical, a T1 service is much more reliable.

If your medium sized company has a number of employees using the Internet regularly, you might find that a single T1 line doesn’t give you the bandwidth you need. If this is the case, bonded T1 service might be your best bet. Bonded services combine the capabilities of up to four T1 lines into a single pipeline, giving your business the Internet speed (6 Mbps) and reliability it needs.

Time is a factor with bonded T1 services just as it is with traditional T1 services. Extended contracts make it impractical to purchase a service if you’re business is set to move, so don’t commit to the higher fees of T1 if you’re not sure where you’ll be operating from in a few months.

Large Businesses (100+ employees)

Large businesses can operate with DSL and cable services if data isn’t mission critical. However, most large businesses have a vast number of employees who rely on the Internet to perform their jobs, so when there are slow-downs and outages, production is greatly reduced. This makes T1 services a more viable business Internet service for large companies.

In many cases, bonded T1 services are required simply to accommodate day-to-day operations in a large business. If you find that your company is moving beyond six T1 lines, though, it’s time to turn to a DS3 service. With capabilities equivalent to 28 T1 lines (45 Mbps), DS3 is suited for corporations that require high-speed electronic data transfers between various plant sites and offices. DS3 has also served as a cost-effective tool for large call centers, universities, research facilities, software development companies, and much more.

Like T1, a DS3 service contract will require you to make a substantial time commitment. DS3 is a service that can help stimulate company growth down the line and can make it easier for your business to adapt to its changing data and video transfer needs.

As with most products on the market, there are variations of each business Internet service that can make it easier for you to find a plan that suits both your bandwidth and your financial needs.

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