A few months ago, I realized that my internet wasn't working that well. My connection kept timing out, and it seemed like no matter what I did, the pages weren't loading quickly at all. I cleared out my cache, reset my router, and still nothing. After talking with a neighbor, they informed me that there was a problem with the internet provider that I was using. I contacted the internet provider, and they walked me through a few really interesting troubleshooting tips. I learned a lot that day, and I want to teach you a lot too. This blog is filled with articles about the Internet, so that you don't run into any trouble of your own.
Eliminating Internet Problems
How Much Internet Speed Does Your Small Business Need?
Maria Mora
Estimating internet speed requirements is never an exact science. While you can find specific bandwidth requirements for many common activities, it's often hard to judge your genuine peak usage needs. Unfortunately, these challenges lead many small business owners to take a "seat of the pants" approach that can backfire when heavy loads lead to frustratingly slow internet speeds.
A more accurate estimate of your bandwidth requirements will allow you to avoid these slowdowns, ensuring slow internet access speeds don't slow your employees down. Ensuring adequate internet speed is especially important as many employees return to in-person work. This guide will help you understand how to judge your bandwidth requirements to choose the best plan for your business.
What is Bandwidth and What Uses It?
You've probably heard the term bandwidth thrown around quite a bit when it comes to internet connections, but what does it mean? You can think of bandwidth as the amount of data that can "fit" through your internet connection. All of your employees share bandwidth, and a limited amount is available for all of them to use.
The speed of your internet connection determines the theoretical maximum to the amount of bandwidth your employees can use. For example, a 50Mbps connection provides fifty megabits of bandwidth every second. You can think of this value as a budget, and every action your employees take on the internet burns into that budget. Exceeding your bandwidth will slow your connection down.
It's crucial to understand that everything you do on the internet requires bandwidth. Low "cost" activities include routine browsing, emails, and anything that doesn't involve sending or receiving large files. On the other hand, high "cost" activities include uploading or downloading large files, teleconference calls, and high-quality video streaming.
How Can You Estimate Your Business's Internet Needs?
The best way to estimate your overall business needs is to categorize the daily usage of your employees. How much time do they spend video conferencing? How many people may need to video conference at the same time? Do your employees typically work with large files, such as videos or very large spreadsheets?
Remember that your internet speed essentially determines your peak bandwidth usage, so it's crucial to consider the worst-case scenario for internet usage. Even if you only have a large number of employees on video conference calls once or twice a month, that requirement should still dictate your overall bandwidth needs.
Ultimately, choosing a plan that doesn't provide enough bandwidth can have real costs for your business by slowing your employees down and preventing them from performing their work. When in doubt, choosing an option like small business fiber internet can provide the breathing room you need to ensure your employees are never stuck waiting for a slow internet connection to catch up.
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