How to choose a business internet plan?

Today’s rich web apps and SaaS platforms are growing more complex every day, sapping bandwidth. The last thing managers want is slow performance, hiccups and bottlenecks that prevent their employees from being productive. Business-class internet service provides the speed and reliability employees need to stay connected to customers, partners and each other, and companies should upgrade today.

AT&T Business Fiber plans offer faster speeds than typical consumer DSL or cable lines. In addition, most business plans provide unthrottled performance and no data caps. AT&T High Speed Internet for Business is also more reliable and is backed by customer care. If something goes wrong, customers have immediate access to technical support to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

Many ISPs make plan recommendations based solely on speed, and they use company size as the only factor for determining how much speed a customer requires. This tactic is overly simple and often leads to a poor decision that doesn’t meet the company’s unique needs. AT&T takes a different approach. Choosing the right internet plan comes down to speed, service and networking features for each unique use case.

Determining the right speed can be confusing. Many ISPs suggest a speed based on the number of users. Small businesses under 10 employees should get this speed. Companies with more than 100 users should upgrade to that speed. It’s not that simple. A business may have just a handful of users but could have robust internet needs. Take architecture firms for example. Most employ under 20 employees but send large CAD files between locations. An HVAC company could employ dozens of contractors but they only use the internet sparingly. It’s important to look beyond company size and choose a speed that matches actual internet usage and needs.


Here are some guidelines. Small businesses that use the internet for basic web browsing, checking email and transferring small files can get away with 15 to 25 Mbps. Add in video conferencing, and businesses should probably upgrade to 25 to 50 Mbps. Point of sale solutions need at least 50 Mbps. Backup up data or hosting web servers requires up to 100 Mbps. Companies that stream content or manage multiple e-commerce sites with heavy traffic should consider speeds up to 500 Mbps.


Businesses should also consider download speed versus upload speed. Many plans throttle upload speeds for efficiency because basic web browsing requires pulling information (downloading) rather than pushing information (uploading). But this isn’t true for all businesses. Some companies may need to upload large files to the internet or broadcast streamed content. It’s important that businesses understand upload and download requirements and how they could be different.

Service and support are important for reliability and business continuity. Businesses need to keep employees connected to the tools and information they need to be productive. Any downtime can jeopardize the mission. Thankfully, AT&T business internet plans are more reliable and are backed by customer care. If something goes wrong, customers have immediate access to technical support to resolve the issue as soon as possible. Businesses should also consider contract length. Many ISPs offer discounts for longer service contracts, but the timeline needs to make sense for the business. No contract plans can be enticing, but they are typically more expensive.

It’s here where differences in business model and market strategy could make a difference. AT&T business internet plans come with various networking options that fit individual use cases. Switched Ethernet allows companies to send large files between locations in real-time. Software-defined networking prioritizes mission-critical traffic. Static IPs provide better performance and security for on-site web, app and file servers. A highly secure VPN is a requirement for remote workers. Wireless broadband could provide a backup internet service or a separate network for visiting customers or partners. Fixed wireless provides connectivity for companies based in rural areas. Perhaps businesses needs its own private lane connecting it directly to the internet through a dedicated access point. Whatever a business’ internet and networking needs, AT&T has it covered beyond just throwing more speed at the problem.

Customers can bundle AT&T business internet service with phone and DirecTV for extra savings. Bundles start at less than $100 per month for internet, voice and TV.

• Speed isn’t everything. Companies looking for a business internet plan should also consider service, support, contracts and networking services that fit their unique needs.
• When determining required speed, businesses should think about their internet usage and needs rather than company size.
• Advanced networking solutions could make sense for companies in certain industries or markets or with unique data sharing needs.