It may be hard to remember a time when our businesses were not dependent on the internet. Today, nearly every organization is online and requires fast internet service to operate their business, both internally and externally.
When you are evaluating business internet service providers, price and speed are generally the first two items on the checklist. However, you may have to dig more deeply to make sure you get the right business internet service for your business.
Here are some of the key questions to ask when buying business internet in Dallas, Austin, San Antonio or Houston.
How Do You Deliver Business Internet?
The answer to this question should unquestionably be fiber. Fiber provides the fastest connectivity and the most reliable business internet.
A true fiber network provides symmetrical speeds, which means that you get the same fast upload and download speeds. This is crucial for organizations that move large files; rely on the cloud for mission-critical services; or use real-time applications like Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), videoconferencing or collaboration tools.
Be cautious when examining speeds. Some companies promote fast download speeds but cap or throttle uploads, which can slow you down. Look for a fiber network that provides symmetrical (synchronous) speeds for uploads and downloads.
Do You Share Connectivity?
Residential, cable and some national internet providers share connections, meaning that the quality of your internet is dependent on other nearby businesses or homes. This can cause slowdowns at peak times. Look for a company that offers a dedicated fiber connection with guaranteed fast speeds even during peak demand.
Some providers also lease the majority of their lines, which can cause issues when problems arise. It may be difficult to troubleshoot where the fault is or who is responsible for fixing it. You are better off working with a business internet provider that owns its fiber network and monitors it 24/7 year-round.
How Reliable is Your Business Internet?
When your business depends on the internet, reliability is key. Consider working with a business internet service provider that delivers a high quality of service with maximum uptime. You should probe deeply into this area by asking specific questions such as:
- Do you provide 99.999% uptime?
- Do you provide 24/7 year-round network monitoring for performance and security?
- Do you have multiple fiber rings in major Texas markets?
- Do you have dedicated fiber connectivity between all major Texas markets?
- Do you have diverse Tier-1 internet peering points?
Uptime is one of the most crucial metrics to examine. 99% uptime may sound good, but that equates to downtime of 3.65 days annually. By comparison, 99.999% uptime equals about 5 minutes of downtime in a year. The best business internet service providers will put uptime guarantees in writing as part of their service-level agreements, with remedies in case they fall short.
How Hard Is It to Change My Level of Service?
Business can change quickly, so you want to be able to quickly scale your business internet service up or down to handle anything that comes your way. You should be able to scale your connectivity with a phone call.
Where Are Your Support Teams Located?
There is nothing more frustrating than having a service problem or needing an answer but your support center is halfway across the country, or you are connected to someone reading from a script. When you need help, you want to connect with a Texas-based support team that has local staff technicians nearby to troubleshoot and resolve any issues.
What Other Services Can You Provide?
Bundling services with your business internet service provider may offer significant savings while also reducing the number of vendors you have to rely on. You may wish to consider adding additional services to your business internet, such as VoIP voice calling, a hosted private branch exchange or a secure software-defined wide area network service.
Get Fast, Reliable Business Internet Service
Your business deserves a fast business internet service backed by a dedicated team of professionals with a local, friendly, Texas presence. LOGIX Fiber Networks is the largest independent provider of fiber connectivity with more than 300,000 miles of fiber throughout the state, connecting more than 3,000 enterprise businesses, 80+ data centers and 10,000 businesses of all sizes.
When it comes to having questions about buying business internet in Dallas, Austin, San Antonio or Houston, LOGIX has your answers.Want the best business internet provider in Texas? Contact LOGIX today at 281-688-6283, or request a quote online.