Business internet deals in 2021
Picking a business Internet service provider is a big decision. With so much conflicting and biased information out there, it can be unclear which service is best for your business. That's where I come in.
I have done ample research on five of the best business Internet services available to date. In my research, I have found exactly which features are crucial to compare.
Price and high-speed Internet service are the first two qualities to think about when making a decision. After that, it's necessary to break down technical details to determine which service works best for your unique business. Read on for details.
Best Business Internet Providers
Cox Business Internet
- Pros
Bundle options
Limited 30-day money back guarantee
Free internet security and cloud drive
No contract
Live chat option
- Cons
Doesn’t offer service everywhere
Doesn’t detail equipment prices and extra fees on website
Price increases after 3-months
Cox Business Internet service is the 4th largest cable Internet provider in the U.S. It offers high speeds at fair prices at first, but watch out. They are known to increase prices after three months. Fortunately, they do not charge any activation fees.
Cox offers a bronze, silver, and gold bundle. Their bronze bundle starts at $89.99 with download speeds up to 50Mbps. Download speeds go up to 150Mbps and start at $109.99 a month for the silver bundle. The gold bundle offers 300Mbps starting at $129.99 a month.
Cox Business Internet service provides a 30-day money back guarantee if you switch from another network. They don't detail any prices or equipment fees on their website, but you can ask a live chat expert anytime. Keep in mind that they charge for modem and battery equipment.
One impressive plus from Cox is that they don't require a contract. You can always switch your service if you have issues. Just watch out for hidden fees.
Time Warner Business Class
- Pros
Free modem
Ethernet services to link multiple business locations
Great infrastructure for long-term dependability
Offers one bundle with a range of speeds
Optional web features
- Cons
High speed plans not available in all areas
Frustrating customer service
No Live Chat option
Time Warner Business Class Internet service provider has a solid infrastructure that is built to last. It offers one bundle option starting at $99.99. You can choose which download speed and price you need for your business when you create your contract. Download speeds go up to 300mbps via their fiber-rich network. Your bundle includes Internet, phone and Wi-Fi hotspots.
Time Warner's high-speed plans are not available in all areas. You definitely need to make sure they are an option before considering their services. Be sure to take notice of their data caps with limits of 5GB or 30GB a month. They could end up costing you extra. Lastly, Time Warner is infamous for frustrating customer service and there is no live chat option; beware!
Time Warner Business Class also offers a free modem with their services. They have optional web features available as well including web hosting and cloud services. One unique aspect of Time Warner Business Class is their Ethernet solutions section. They offer Ethernet options to help you connect your businesses at high speeds in different locations. If you have a larger business, Time Warner Business Class Ethernet solutions may be the right choice for you.
Charter Business Internet
- Pros
Offers bundles and custom bundling
Includes free modem and web features
Live chat 24/7
No contract
30-day money back guarantee
- Cons
Only 2 plans to choose from
Activation fee
Charter is a smaller business Internet service that offers fast download rates up to 100Mbps. Charter will save you money with a free modem for all Internet plans offered. They also offer custom bundling and prepackaged bundles starting at $69.99.
Each bundle and plan comes with free security features and data backup. There is even a fantastic 30-day money back guarantee for your services. If you have any issues, Charter also has a 24/7 live chat feature for your specific needs.
On the other hand, Charter only offers two plans to choose from including 60Mbps or 100Mbps. Most companies offer four to six. They also have an expensive activation fee, unlike some other business Internet service providers. This may deter you from using their service.
Business Internet Considerations
There are a number of questions you should ask yourself on the search for Internet access for your large or small business. For example, which services provide Internet access in your area?
1. What types of connections and services are available in my area?
There are many different types of connections to think about when searching for wireless Internet for your business. According to CNN Money, broadband service users exceeded an average download speed of 50Mbps this year in the U.S.
Unfortunately, download speeds and high-speed or private connections may be limited by your location. If you want a VPN service for online privacy and Internet safety, for example, you'll have to see if there is one available in your area. Fortunately, that's easy to do. You can compare Internet providers by zip code.
2. How important is Internet reliability to my business?
Downtime can cost businesses up to $16 million in productivity and revenue per year. This doesn't include how angry your customers will be when your service crashes. If your business relies heavily on the Internet to function, uptime reliability may be the most important issue to consider.
Some business Internet providers even include a Service Level Agreement (SLA). This annual contract promises a certain amount of uptime annually for your service. If you have a business that relies heavily on the Internet's ability to function, you may want an SLA along with your service. The following uptime calculator will tell you exactly how much downtime per day, week, month or year your service offers based on their percentage of uptime.
3. How important is Internet speed to my business?
US Internet speeds have more than tripled since 2011, according to the FCC. The rise in streaming services like HBO-Go, Netflix and Hulu has helped this process significantly. These days, wireless Internet services offer a range from 10Mbps to 1Gbps with Fiber-Optic cables and Ethernet cables. With such a huge range, it can be really difficult to know what you need. Your plan's specific speed should depend on a number of things.
Determine how many users will be active regularly on your business Internet service.
Think about what internet tasks your employees will perform most: downloads, uploads, video streaming, etc.
These considerations will help you pick the right connection via the perfect service for you. They will help balance cost, speed and reliability of Internet for your business. Fiber Internet may be the fastest and most reliable, but maybe you'd be just fine with basic Cable Internet provider or DSL service. Making this determination could save you a lot of money in the long run.
4. Do I want to purchase a TV, Internet and phone bundle?
It's vital to consider the costs of each service vs. their reliability and speed. How much can you afford? Is there a budget you must abide by? Some services offer up to six plans to choose from while others offer only two. Prices start at around $69.99, which is considered cheap. Most Internet services also offer business phone service and Internet bundles in an annual contract along with TV.
A TV, Internet and phone bundle allows you to purchase the Internet, phone service, and/or TV services for one fair monthly fee. Some Internet service providers offer customizable bundles to suit your business's unique needs. For example, you can pick specific TV channel packs to suit your business. If you don't want a channel pack, you can go with a simple phone and Internet service.
5. Will I need to submit to a credit review?
Depending on what connection you're purchasing from which Internet service provider, you may have to undergo a credit review. If you don't think you can pass a credit review, you should look into a service that is not currently requiring them.
For example, Time Warner Spectrum does not require a credit check to purchase an annual contract. You should check a credit repair company if you're having trouble with your credit.
Other Factors
Customer Service - Customer service and support options should not be overlooked when determining which business ISP (Internet Service Provider) to use. Some providers offer live chat while others only offer a phone number and email address. You'll want to make sure there is always someone to help with malfunctions or a downtime emergency.
Commitment Period - How much of a commitment does each business Internet service require? Many business Internet service providers require that your sign a 1-2 year contract when you sign up for their service. Keep this in mind. If you end up hating your service, it may cost you to switch before your contract is up.
Additional Charges and Fees - There are various additional charges and fees to consider when choosing a business Internet service provider. Installation fees, data caps, routers, modems and early termination fees can end up costing you much more than you bargained for. Fees are usually subject to change, to it's important to pay attention. Make sure you know exactly what your bill will look like before you make a purchase. Also, make sure you know what your early termination fee will be if you don't like the service. If the company doesn't offer this information up front, they may not be the best choice.
Business Internet Connection Types
DSL Internet
DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Lines. DSL service is a broadband service offered by many business Internet providers. Ultimately, DSL lets the consumer use their house phone lines to transmit telephone and data communication, according to EDB. This allows you to talk on the phone and surf the Internet at the same time. Because DSL connections weaken as they go farther away, the consumer must be a certain distance from the business Internet service for a solid connection. DSL is much faster than Satellite Internet or Dial Up.
Cable Internet
Cable operates over digital cable TV lines in your home instead of phone lines. Cable modems are considered broadband. Cable Internet is cheaper than both Fiber-Optic cables and Ethernet cables; plus, it is quicker than DSL.
Fiber Optic Internet
Fiber is one of the fastest methods of Internet connection. It can reach speeds up to 1Gbps., up to 25 times faster than cable and DSL over longer distances. If you have an Internet-based business and Fiber Optic is available near you, it may be the best option. Fiber optic Internet has been faster than Ethernet in the past, but Ethernet seems to have caught up. It is made up of optically pure glass that carries digital information with light instead of electricity.
Satellite Internet
Satellite is better than dial up but not as reliable as DSL or cable. It is often offered in more rural areas where DSL and cable are not. Satellite Internet signals are transmitted via satellites in outer space, allowing their service to reach anywhere with a satellite.
VPN Service
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. VPNs give you ISP privacy by making sure your Internet data and account information is always encrypted from prying eyes. ISP privacy is a big deal in the age of identity theft and information hacking and it may be necessary for your business.
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi transmits information via radio waves instead of a cable; therefore, it's wireless. Many business Internet services connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi these days.
Ethernet
Ethernet is a method of using copper cabling to network computers in local area networks. It transfers digital information with electricity and can provide speeds up to 1000Mbps. Information transmitted via Ethernet is less secure than with a fiber Internet cable because light is harder to interpret.
Business Internet Terminology
There are some technical terms you should know before you jump down the rabbit hole of Internet for business.
IP is an abbreviation you'll see often when researching Internet connections. It stands for Internet Protocol. IP addresses are a set of numbers that connect you to a specific website. Each set of numbers has a set of code words, which is the name of the website you're trying to reach. The website name is a just a readable form of the IP address for humans called an URL.
URL - Stands for Universal Resource locator. It is another name for a website's IP code name: the name of a website.
DNS - stands for Domain Name Server. Its function is to look up the URL you've typed in or clicked on and determine its IP address. Once it has done so, the data is broken down into packets of a sort.
Cloud-based services - In the Internet world, cloud-based services are just another word for Internet-based services.
Routers - are devices that receive each packet. The router receives and then sends each packet to the router closest to your destination, assuming too many people aren't using it.
Modems - are devices that enable computers to transmit data over. Some companies charge for modem and router installation while others provide the service for free.
Uptime - is the percentage of time your business Internet service provider is reliably up and running.
Downtime - is the percentage of time your Internet server is not up and running reliably.
Once you have an idea of how the Internet works, you'll want to think about connections. Every business Internet service operates using specific types of Internet connections. Learning about these types will help you to determine which one offers suitable speeds for your business. First, here are some terms to note:
Bandwidth - is the size of the channel or cable that data is transmitted through.
Data cap - is a cap on the amount of data your service allows you to use in a month.
Before You Make a Decision
I would remember to take these steps before making a decision on a business Internet service provider.
Research business Internet providers in your area.
Determine how much reliability I need and what each provider offers.
- Does my business rely heavily on the Internet's ability to function?
What is their uptime percentage?
How is the customer service
Determine how much speed I need and what each provider offers.
Determine how much I can spend and what deals each provider offers.
- Are there any extra installation fees and other charges that are subject to change?
How long is the contract associated with my service?
Take these steps into consideration to balance your decision. Use them to determine which business Internet service provider offers speed and reliability at the best price for you.
Recap
It can be extremely difficult to fathom making a decision on a business Internet service provider. This article is meant to direct you to the service that is perfect for your unique business needs.
Now that you know how the Internet works and what to consider before choosing a service for your business, you may need to learn a little more.
For instance, are you concerned about Internet privacy? If so, then read our ultimate guide to Internet Safety and Online Privacy.
