Going back to the office? Consider dedicated internet

People are beginning to return to the office but some are choosing to continue to work remotely, creating a growing prominence of hybrid workforces.

With employees on the same team working from different locations, businesses are more reliant on consistent internet service than ever before. With the move back to the office comes an opportunity to improve your office’s infrastructure.

Dedicated internet access offers a fast, reliable connection so your team can get work done from anywhere with anyone.

But what is dedicated internet, exactly? And what makes it different from standard consumer internet?

What is dedicated internet?

Dedicated internet access (DIA) is an internet circuit that’s reserved exclusively for your business. DIA provides guaranteed bandwidth via flexible, scalable and cost-effective network transport, all through a direct connection to your provider.

What does that mean? Your business’s network will have faster speeds and a more stable connection. Instead of sharing a connection with other businesses, DIA is like having your own private lane on the highway that allows you to circumvent traffic.

Utilization of the network won’t degrade speeds for your team. DIA lines also have superior throughput, meaning you’ll receive high speeds during actual usage, not just on paper.

This is in contrast to a shared internet connection, which is a connection that’s divided between multiple places through the same line.

What is dedicated internet access built on?

Cable networks stretch across the country and around the world, but not all cables are created equal. Some of them are better suited for DIA than others:

• Dedicated fiber: Fiber-optic cable is made from glass, preventing electromagnetic interference while data is being transmitted over the line. Fiber stretches for thousands of miles across the U.S. making it a prime candidate for speedy, reliable DIA service.
• EoC: Offers high-bandwidth over existing copper lines that are often already installed in most buildings with conventional phone lines.
• Fixed wireless: Relies on radio waves, meaning it can be installed much faster and doesn’t rely on cable on a cable network. Point-to-point connections allow for high-speed data transmission at low-latencies.
• T1 and T3: T1 lines can be installed almost anywhere, even away from major metropolitan areas where other cabling is available. Provides a symmetrical, consistent connection whether it’s installed on fiber or copper making it ideal for heavy use of voice and video conferencing and other cloud-based applications. A T3 line is created by combining 28 T1 lines, creating an even more powerful network.

The benefits of dedicated internet

Consistency

Service-level agreements (SLA) are what keep DIA operating reliably. When under an SLA, service providers have to adhere to guidelines on allowable downtime and minimum network performance, as well as: 

• Uptime.
• Latency.
• Packet loss.
• Jitter

Upload and download speeds in DIA plans are identical, as opposed to the slower upload speeds that come with shared internet packages people receive at the consumer level. A broadband package may list up to 500Mb/50Mb, for example, “up to” being the key phrase. It often means you’re not going to consistently get the speed you’re paying for.

Shared internet connections may work well at home or even in small offices or businesses, but it may not be enough for a larger business that deals with larger files or a remote workforce that’s reliant on collaboration software. DIA mitigates this worry and can get files where they need to go in a reasonable amount of time.

Should you run into issues with your business’s connection, DIA service providers usually include responsive customer service that can be reached at any time of day. A DIA connection is monitored 24/7, and any requests related to DIA issues are considered high priority.

Security

Cybersecurity is a big concern for businesses. With DIA, the connection is private, meaning you gain extra protection from breaches and don’t have to worry about other networks threatening your infrastructure.

DIA plans can include complementary distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) protection along with managed security services to cover all of your needs and application uses.

Scalability

DIA plans offer nationwide scalability with private fiber routes all across the country. You can easily adjust the amount of bandwidth in your DIA plan to fit your needs so your network can expand as your business grows.

You get exactly what you need

Even as a superior alternative to regular broadband, DIA can save you money by reducing the downtime and letting you pay only for what you actually need. A DIA connection is the perfect complement to hosted VoIP services, given its solid reliability.

When your company should consider dedicated internet

• Implementing Hosted VoIP: Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), like what’s found in collaboration software, can be especially taxing on standard broadband connections, especially if that connection also serves the day-to-day internet needs of its employees.
• Using a Unified Communication Solution: UC is extremely demanding and will benefit from some form of dedicated access.
• Utilizing the cloud for application services: As more applications move to the cloud, greater demand and reliance is placed upon a business’s internet connection. Apps like file sharing, collaboration software that includes voice and video conferencing and digital whiteboards can all require a solid connection.
• When time equals money: If there are deadlines to meet, only dedicated internet connections provide the consistency and reliability you need.

Telesystem can provide a dedicated internet access plan for your business so you never have to worry about having a stable connection when trying to get work done or host a meeting, no matter where your team is working. Contact ustoday to find out if DIA could be right for you.