Broadband for your business

Today, pretty much any company needs a decent broadband and phone package, even small ones - whether it’s for taking customers’ calls, running a website, or doing some online banking.

Heres tips on how to get broadband for your business:

Getting connected

You’ll need broadband right from the start: during your research, while you’re setting up your business, through to when it grows and takes over the world

Your main options are ADSL broadband and cable broadband with the biggest difference being that ADSL requires a phone line, while cable broadband does not.

The advantage of cable broadband is that if you don’t have a landline phone, and always use your mobile, you can save money by not having to pay line rental on your phone as well as on your internet connection. It's often faster, too. But you’ll need to check whether it’s available in your area. ADSL broadband is more commonplace and there are lots of companies offering it.

As always, read the fine print before you sign anything. Here are some things to look out for:

Price – some broadband prices seem really cheap but often the prices advertised are for the first few months of an 18-month contract, so make sure you know what you’re getting into before you sign anything.

Usage – Some broadband companies will set restrictions on the amount of data you can download in a month and sometimes even charge you extra if you go over your agreed limit. These limits rarely affect most users, but If your business is the kind that needs to send and receive lots of information, look for deals with generous monthly download allowances. Or, better still, unlimited downloads.

Customer support – If you’re installing broadband for the first time, you might need some help setting up and also, once you’re up and running, knowing what to do when your connection suddenly drops. For these sorts of queries its handy to have good customer support, so check to see what’s on offer and, crucially, how much it would cost call for help.

Superfast broadband

Insiders are investing billions to deliver superfast fibre broadband to two-thirds of UK homes by the end of 2015. If you live in an area with an activated exchange, new speeds will power your business and enable you to work faster online and download rich digital media in no time. Find out if fibre is coming to your home by visiting www.bt.com/superfastbroadband (you don’t need to use BT to access broadband.)

Network

Be connected all around the house – even in the garden – by setting up a wireless network. Your internet service provider may have already provided you with a router – a device that allows you to share your internet connection with other computers in your home.

There are two types of wireless router: one for ADSL and another for cable internet. Check with your internet service provider to find out which is the best router for your type of connection.

Source: Home Business Guide, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

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