Connectivity in a digital-first world is becoming as essential as air or water which is why many businesses are making the investment in fiber Internet to serve their customers and keep their operations at peak performance.
“To participate in contemporary commerce, a high-speed connection is not an option or a luxury — it’s basic infrastructure,” writes Erica E. Phillips in the CT Mirror. “And while the newly passed $1 trillion federal infrastructure bill contains $65 billion to build out broadband and make it affordable, the lag time could leave many businesses unable to compete.”
Many Small Businesses Lack the Broadband to Succeed
The United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimates that many businesses, especially small businesses, risk falling on the wrong side of the digital divide.
“While most small businesses have access to broadband, millions of small businesses continue to lack sufficient access to meet their needs,” the GAO said. “According to two recent surveys by the National Federation of Independent Business and Google, around 8 percent or about 2-3 million U.S. small businesses lack access to broadband.”
GAO suggests that the FCC’s current broadband minimum benchmark of 25 megabits per second (Mbps) for downloading and 3 Mbps for uploading is likely to be slow in today’ digital environment.
‘Sources vary in terms of the specific speeds they recommend for small businesses. For example, in 2017, BroadbandUSA—a National Telecommunications and Information Administration program—published a fact sheet stating that small businesses need a minimum of 50 Mbps speeds in order to conduct tasks such as managing inventory, operating point-of-sale terminals, and coordinating shipping.”
Fiber Internet can easily meet and exceed those government benchmarks with fiber speeds typically ranging from 250 Mbps to 1,000 Mbps.
Fiber Internet Shines in Business Settings
There are many reasons why fiber Internet is the right choice for business, but the top two reasons often come down to reliability and speed. Without one or the other, your business can be brought to a standstill.
“Because of differences in transmitting technology, fiber-optic services generally offer better quality. Most notably, fiber is faster,” says ZDNet.
Fiber optic Internet providers such as PS Lightwave offer full duplex and directional Internet which provides the same level of bandwidth in both directions of the fiber simultaneously, ensuring both upload and download rates are consistent – optimal for remote offices or cross-office collaboration.
The faster upload speeds that come with fiber Internet vs. traditional cable or DSL can be very important for business applications.
The Houston Chronicle says business applications that require good upload speed include:
- Hard drive backups
- In-house web hosting
- Attachments on outgoing email
- Cloud applications such as Google Docs, Dropbox, and iCloud
- Voice over IP (VoIP) telephone service
- Skype and FaceTime
And since the pandemic Zoom calls and online video meetings can be added to this list.
7 Reasons to Upgrade Your Business to Fiber Internet
If you are still not convinced about upgrading your business to fiber Internet, here are seven succinct reasons:
- Added Security: Fiber optic Internet relies on pulses of light to transmit data which is harder to hack or intercept than the electrical signals used by cable Internet, or the wireless signals used by satellite Internet. Bad actors attempting to tap into fiber cables will likely break the glass fibers thus exposing the malicious attempt.
- Faster Data Transfer: If you feel the need for speed then fiber Internet will help your business send and receive data faster. BroadbandNow says that a range of Internet speeds by type in Mbps:
- DSL download speed (5-35) and upload speeds (1-10)
- Cable download speed (10-500) and upload speeds (5-50)
- Fiber download speed (250-1,000) and upload speeds (250-1,000)
- Improved Cloud Computing: Bandwidth is crucial when working with cloud computing because the applications require storing and accessing data and programs over the Internet instead of your computer’s hard drive. Fiber Internet is built for cloud computing with its ability to carry trillions of bits per second.
- More Reliability: Fiber Internet cables are more durable than legacy copper lines, so they are less likely to be damaged. Copper also is susceptible to interference from weather and temperature changes, but fiber optic lines are basically designed to be weather-proof.
- Streaming Capabilities: If your business relies on a lot of streaming then fiber Internet provides the best quality and speed. The greater bandwidth fiber Internet can deliver will be even more important as Ultra-high definition 4K devices become the norm.
- Voice over IP (VoIP): Fiber Internet, with its symmetrical ability to send and receive data at the same time, is a must for VoIP. Fiber Internet is also typically deployed in a ring structure which creates a level of protection in case of damage to fiber which will ensure that your business calls are not dropped.
- Scalability: Fiber Internet is the perfect way to future-proof your business as the network technology is scalable which makes upgrades easy. Much of the fiber Internet includes dark fiber, lines currently unused but in place for future traffic. On a day-to-day business, Internet providers like PS Lightwave can allow customers to burst up to a higher bandwidth for a boost in speed when needed, allowing for large file transfers without interruption.
Contact PS Lightwave today to find out how we can offer organization high-speed fiber internet, VoIP, and dark fiber routes over Houston’s largest facilities-based, private network.
