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It can often be quite an ordeal to choose the right internet service for your home or small business. There are so many factors that you need to consider like what speeds you need. Or, the number of devices you expect to connect to the network. Or even the cost of internet services available in your area. If you run a small business from home or have an office at home, that’s a huge variable in its own right. All of this can make choosing between residential vs business internet very confusing.
This blog will try to make the task easier for you.
Choosing Residential Vs Business Internet
There are over 30 million small businesses in the US in 2018, as per the United States Small Business Administration. The administration defines any business with fewer than 500 employees. Almost 20 million small businesses in the United States have less than 20 employees. If you are one of these, working out from your home or small business, making the right internet service choice is critical. This blog explores:
- Business Internet
- Residential Internet
- Pros and Cons of Business Internet
- Pros and Cons of Residential Internet
- Deciding How Much Speed You Need
Let’s explore these areas in more detail below.
1. Business Internet
This type of internet service refers to a connection specifically intended for business use. Business internet has faster internet speeds than residential. It also usually has more features and a dedicated customer support department for smooth business continuity. At the same time, this type of internet service also comes with a higher price tag.
2. Residential Internet
Residential internet services are the ones we use at home. They help us with our use of social media, streaming audio and video, downloading, and playing games. This type of internet service usually has slower starting speeds. They also usually have asymmetrical downloading and uploading speeds. This means their download speeds are higher than their upload speeds.
3. Pros and Cons of Business Internet
Business internet usually has faster starting speeds. These range from 25 Mbps to up to 10 Gbps. However, if you’re working from home, even 25 Mbps is enough in most cases. Business internet also has symmetrical download and upload speeds. The service usually comes with a dedicated line, meaning you don’t share the connection with other users, like neighbors. It is also more reliable thanks to a static IP address.
SLA agreements ensure compensation for subscribers in case the service is unable to deliver as required. And of course, business internet often comes with dedicated customer service. The only con that comes with a business internet connection is the higher price tag.
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4. Pros and Cons of Residential Internet
Residential internet usually has slower speeds than the business internet, but it is still many times faster than in-flight Wi-Fi. However, such services usually come with asymmetrical download speeds. It also uses a dynamic IP instead of a static one, and may not always have a dedicated line. However, residential internet comes with a much more affordable price tag, like the Internet Preferred 150 service.
5. Deciding How Much Speed You Need
Before you decide to switch from residential to business internet, or vice versa, you need to know how much speed you need for your small business or home office. An internet speed test is usually a great wat to determine the speeds you currently get and judge whether they are. Make a list of all your internet activities and prioritize them on internet usage.
If your internet usage is light, a residential connection may be sufficient. It can help you do things like browse the web, check email, maintain a website, and hold video conferences. And it doesn’t hurt that the price tag is more in line with small business budgetary concerns. However, if your internet usage is extensive, you may want to consider shifting to a business internet connection.
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