The Argument for Dedicated Business Internet

The internet has become a keystone of many organizations’ operations. But that same reliance can negatively affect organizations when the internet connection fails. In fact, the average cost of internet slowdown or downtime for a business is $5,600 per minute. That adds up fast. So how do you ensure your internet stays up and running? The answer is a private internet connection, also known as Dedicated Business Internet.

Dedicated business internet vs. a shared internet connection

Dedicated Business Internet is a private internet connection that is used by a single organization. No other users or devices are able to access the connection. It is known by many different names, including dedicated fiber, direct internet access, dedicated fixed wireless, and more, but they all refer to the same concept: private internet.  

In comparison, a shared internet connection is accessed by many different organizations, by many users on multiple different devices, and the bandwidth is split between them. The two concepts are easy to understand. But you might be wondering: why would my organization upgrade to Dedicated Business Internet?

The benefits of dedicated business internet

The benefits of Dedicated Business Internet come down to four features: guaranteed bandwidth, a reliable connection, symmetrical upload and download speeds, and increased security.

Guaranteed Bandwidth

When you use a Dedicated Business Internet connection, your organization never has to share bandwidth; you receive 100% of the bandwidth you buy. When using a shared connection, the bandwidth is split between every organization and user, stretching tighter and tighter as new users get online. That means that during high usage periods (like during average work hours, when employees are video conferencing or streaming music) bandwidth and internet speeds are slow. Low bandwidth and slow internet speeds impact production, causing an average 38% drop in employee productivity.

Reliable Connection

Dedicated Business Internet delivers high-quality connectivity due to the private, nonshared nature of the connection. When using a shared connection, connectivity drops when the bandwidth is overstretched. When the quality of a connection drops, users start to experience issues like jitter, latency, and packet loss. Reliable connectivity is critical when using VoIP or Video Conferencing solutions, as connectivity disruptions can make them virtually useless. Reliable connectivity also affects customer service. For instance, a one-second delay in page response can result in a 7% reduction in conversions.

Symmetrical Upload and Download Speed

When organizations select Dedicated Business Internet, they can customize the speed of their uploads and downloads. Shared internet connections rarely allow control over upload and download speeds; most often, their download speeds are significantly higher than upload speeds. This is due to the fact that many organizations download data far more than they upload data. However, matching upload and download speed is critical for organizations that rely on voice, video conferencing, calling, chatting, or team collaboration platforms. Unmatched upload and download speeds cause delays, as well as audial and visual glitches. The impact of asymmetrical upload and download speeds is big: research has shown that employees lose 1 week of productivity annually due to slow upload/download speeds, poor connectivity, and more.

Increased Security

Dedicated Business Internet connections are more secure than shared connections because individuals outside of the organization are unable to access them. This ensures that information stays private during information transfers, adding an extra layer of security that is impossible to reach using a shared internet connection. The cost of a DDoS attack via shared internet averages between $20,000-$40,000 per hour. Many businesses never recover from a security breach due to the cost alone.

Is dedicated business internet right for my team?

There are several indicators that Dedicated Business Internet is ideal for your organization. If two or more items from the list below apply to your organization, Dedicated Business Internet is the right fit for you.  

• Your organization has many employees that rely on the internet for their roles
• Your organization relies on Cloud communications, video conferencing, or team collaboration platforms as part of its operations
• Your organization has a data center that moves large packets of information around
• Your organization relies on other Cloud-hosted applications to conduct business

How can I guarantee a secure internet connection using dedicated business internet?

While Dedicated Business Internet adds an extra layer of protection to your organization’s internet connection, more steps are needed to protect against a security breach. Many organizations choose to combine their Dedicated Business Internet connection with a security offering, such as network monitoring. The joint solution ensures that vendors receive 24/7 network monitoring of their perimeter to significantly reduce the risk of a security breach, including viruses, cyber-attacks, and unwanted spam. Selecting a joint connectivity and security solution is a cost-effective and decreases the expense and workload of multiple vendor management. To meet the need of security enhanced Dedicated Business Internet, Claro Enterprise Solutions offers Managed Secure Business Internet Access to their customers, which combines a Dedicated Business Internet connection with 24/7 network/security monitoring, and scalable Unified Threat Management (UTM) capabilities.

What to expect from "best-in-class" dedicated internet service

Unlike shared internet connections, Dedicated Business Internet solutions are outlined in a Service Level Agreement (SLA). The SLA clearly outlines the terms, including the internet speed, bandwidth, uptime, and service time. The SLA ensures that you are a priority customer. If an issue arises, it will be addressed the same business day (or whatever is outlined in your SLA) as opposed to multiple days.

The take away

Dedicated Business Internet helps remedy a variety of problems by helping guarantee bandwidth, delivering consistent reliability, and increasing the security of your internet connection. This small change can greatly decrease the risk of employee productivity loss and security breaches.  

If you’re concerned about your unsecure, shared internet connection, CES can help. Contact us today to learn more about how Managed Secure Business Internet and our scalable UTM capabilities can improve security while increasing productivity for your business.