Business internet buying guide
What actually matters when comparing business internet options, independent of any specific provider.
Fiber, cable, and fixed wireless are different technologies, not just different speeds
Fiber-optic connections generally offer the highest reliability and often support symmetrical upload and download speeds, meaning your upload speed matches your download speed. Cable business internet typically runs over the same infrastructure as residential cable, usually with faster downloads than uploads. Fixed wireless delivers a signal from a nearby tower instead of a physical line, which can be a practical option where wired infrastructure hasn't reached a building yet. None of these is universally "the best" choice; which one makes sense depends on what's actually available at your address and what your business does with its connection.
Upload speed matters more than most businesses expect
Video calls, cloud backups, VoIP phone systems, and hosting your own services all depend on upload speed, not just download speed. A connection advertised with a fast download number can still feel slow for these use cases if the upload speed is much lower, which is common on connections that aren't symmetrical.
Service-level agreements are a business-specific feature
Many business internet plans come with a service-level agreement, a formal commitment around uptime and response time if something goes wrong, which residential plans typically don't include. If downtime has a real cost for your business, ask what the SLA actually guarantees and what happens if it isn't met.
A static IP address is sometimes necessary, not just a nice-to-have
If you're hosting a server, running certain security or VPN configurations, or need a fixed address for remote access, you likely need a static IP, an IP address that doesn't change. This is usually a business-plan feature rather than something available on residential service.
Redundancy means having a real backup, not just a fast connection
For businesses where an internet outage stops operations, a single connection, however fast, is a single point of failure. A backup connection, often a different technology than the primary one, so both aren't likely to fail for the same reason, is a separate consideration from raw speed.
Installation timelines vary by technology and by building
Whether a location already has service run to it changes the installation timeline significantly. A specialist confirming availability at your specific address is also the point where you'll get an accurate timeline, since it depends on what's already in place, not just what's generally available in your city.
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Submit your address and a specialist will confirm what's actually available, with the considerations above in mind.