Fast home internet packages have become easily accessible for many people with a variety of connection options. If you browse the internet you will find a variety of internet packages from different internet service providers. Many times people don’t read the terms and conditions and end up with contracts that don’t serve their internet usage needs. 

Most home internet users choose their internet package based on their personal budget. Home users look for fast internet speeds but sometimes have to sacrifice quality for affordability. With remote working and the hybrid working module being favoured across the world, many people believe that their home internet package will suffice for their business needs. This is far from the truth. Some businesses may believe that with the improvement of technology and the internet speeds that home internet offers, that scaling down to a cheaper package may benefit the business. This too is far from the truth. Business operations required a fast and reliable internet connection to function at optimal capacity all the time.

What is the problem with home internet packages for businesses?

There are a few key reasons why home internet packages don’t work for businesses. First, businesses need much more bandwidth than the average home internet consumer. This is because businesses have more devices that need to be connected to the internet, and they often use those devices for data-intensive tasks. 

Second, businesses need a more reliable connection than what is typically offered with home internet packages. This is because businesses rely on the internet for mission-critical tasks, and even a brief interruption can cost them money. 

Finally, businesses need a higher level of customer support than what is typically offered with home internet packages. This is because businesses often have complex networking needs that require expert assistance.

How do businesses suffer because of this?

One of the biggest problems is that businesses need much more data than the average person. Most home internet packages have data caps, which can be a big problem for businesses that use the internet for things like video conferencing or downloading large files. 

Another problem is that businesses need a more reliable connection than what is typically offered with home internet packages. This is because businesses can’t afford to have their internet go down, even for a few minutes. If a home user experiences downtime while streaming it would cause some frustration but that is about all. If a business has to experience downtime for even 10min, it could have a negative impact on the operational activities of the business which could lead to big losses in revenue. Home internet packages often have slower speeds and are less reliable than business-grade internet connections. 

Lastly, businesses need to be able to customize their internet package to meet their specific needs. For example, a business might need more bandwidth during certain hours of the day or might need a static IP address. Home internet packages typically don’t offer this level of customization, which can be a big problem for businesses.

Why is business internet so expensive?

In one of our previous blogs – Why Business Fibre Is Still So Expensive in South Africa we looked at the technical aspects of why Business Fibre is more expensive that Home Fibre. In this blog we saw that Business Fibre is more expensive due the physical hardware required to provide a stable business internet connection. 

Business Internet packages provide more features than home internet packages which may include increased bandwidth, speed, scalability, dedicated customer support, reduced risk or down time and so much more. Business internet packages focus on providing their customers with reliable internet. 

Increased Communications

Collaboration is key to effective communication within the organization. Businesses around the world are collaborating in real-time on projects and various other aspects of business. Streaming video calls may require a strong internet connection. There is nothing worse than sitting in a conference call with prospective clients or other team members and not having a good internet connection for the call. It will leave you red in the face. 

Home Internet Uses VS Business Internet Uses

Home Internet is generally used for mobile devices, browsing,  streaming videos, gaming, security systems, smart homes and downloading small amounts of content. Businesses on the other hand require a strong internet connection for video conferencing, VoIP systems, cloud based applications, accessing large files, uploading and downloading large amounts of data, and needs to support multi users with multiple devices that will be accessing all of these tools simultaneously. 

How to choose an internet package?

  • Know what your business needs to run it’s daily operations 
  • Detail the features you need for your internet to benefit your business 
  • Decide on a budget that you are able to allocate for your business internet 
  • Do research on different internet service providers to compare their offerings 
  • Be knowledgeable on new developments with regards to internet service offerings  

Conclusion

Businesses need a different kind of internet package than homes. Home internet packages are designed for light use, while businesses need a package that can handle heavier use. Businesses also need to be able to add more users as their business grows, something that home internet packages don’t typically allow for. If you’re running a business, make sure you get an internet package that’s designed for businesses – it’ll save you a lot of headaches down the road.

Contact the professional at Netlayer to help guide you through the process of finding the right business internet package for your business. With our extensive experience, and many years of success we ensure quality service to support your business. 

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