Business internet connection types

Reliable connectivity can make or break efficient business operations—fortunately, there are several different kinds of connectivity available to fit any technical requirement or budget. Selecting an internet connection type from an internet service provider (ISP) should follow an exhaustive evaluation of the current and anticipated needs of the business. The findings of this internal process will drive the optimal choice of internet connection type and be the best fit for the organization.

Factors to consider are the present and future requirements for:

• Connection speed – In specifying the minimum connection speed, it is essential to consider that most internet connection types are asymmetrical, measuring upload speed and download speed differently.
• Bandwidth – Bandwidth is the rate of the maximum amount of data that can be transmitted through a connection and is typically measured in megabits and gigabits per second, or Mbps and Gbps, respectively.
• Reliability – ISP customer reviews and network uptime statistics, if available, are a good gauge of overall reliability.
• Scalability – Some connection types can handle changes in demand better than others, so it is essential to know the tiers of service an ISP offers and how easy it can scale or adjust the service levels.
• Price – Budget-driven considerations may make a flexible, pay-as-you-go model more attractive, or predictability in cost can be the determining factor in selecting an internet pricing structure.
• Security – It is critically important to identify the technical requirements of your current network and any security gaps and integration requirements for your internet connection.

Different kinds of internet connections

With the seemingly endless variety of options for enterprise internet connections, let’s explore their differences, advantages and disadvantages.

Cable internet

Cable is known for the coaxial cable that carries the signal, and its origins as a service provided by cable TV providers. A radio signal carries the data and is passed through a single conductor at the cable’s center. Grounded foil shielding around the cable core insulator prevents the signal from leaking and the conductor from picking up other radio frequencies from the outside.

Speeds are typically in the 1 Gbps range, which can meet a small- to medium-sized business’s broadband needs but is usually insufficient for a technology-intensive large enterprise. While cable delivers high-speed internet access, it uses an asynchronous mode, so that upload speeds can be significantly lower than download speeds. Cable internet is a shared service, and some ISPs throttle speed and bandwidth in response to heavy public use or deteriorating network conditions.

Fiber internet

Optical fiber technology uses thin strands of glass to transmit signals by modulated light pulses. These strands are bundled together as fiber optic cables and form a physical connection to the point of service. It offers significant gains in speed over traditional cable and wireless alternatives with common speeds of 5-10 Gbps.

Bandwidth is also increased, allowing for the added capacity of more data to be transmitted at the same time. Transmission modes are also symmetrical, allowing for equal capacity in download and upload speeds. Radio frequency interference is not a factor with fiber internet technology, as nearby electrical currents or radio signals do not interact with the light signals.

Fiber internet provides numerous advantages for businesses and comes with two basic options for service: dark fiber and lit fiber. Dark or unlit fiber is leased to business customers themselves, who, in turn, supply their equipment to operate it. Dark fiber requires significant up-front costs for the equipment, while lit fiber and its support equipment are managed by the ISP for a fee as an entire turnkey solution.

Satellite internet

An emerging player in internet connectivity relies on radio signals passing between orbiting satellites and ground-based satellite receivers along a direct line of sight. Satellites can be positioned in a high geostationary orbit over the equator and at the same point in the sky. More recently, low- and medium-earth-orbit satellites have been making broadband connections to ground devices in brief time windows as they pass through the sky from horizon to horizon. The objective is to have a high enough concentration of satellites within a provider’s constellation to ensure that at least one is overhead a receiver at any given time.

The advantages of satellite internet are that it provides service to any location worldwide and requires no on-the-ground network infrastructure to support. Signal latency and speed are the biggest challenges of satellite internet, which can pose a limitation for business use. Geostationary satellites feel that impact the most, as radio signals passing up and back down from that distance can add up to a quarter second in lag time. While medium- and low-earth orbit satellites are much closer to the earth’s surface, their signal can still be affected by weather conditions, and higher bandwidths can be challenging to achieve as they require onboard power to transmit. Speeds of 25-150 Mbps are typical, but 200 Mbps can be achieved in newer systems.

Direct Subscriber Line (DSL) internet

DSL is an older technology introduced by telecommunication companies for the consumer market as an adjunct to their phone service. In the regular performance of phone lines, only specific frequencies of signals are used to carry voice transmission. This leaves open frequencies, which can be tapped for other data channels. Internet service passing through a pair of phone line wires is multiplexed or combined with the voice signal. At the service point, these signals are split, with a specialized DSL modem receiving the internet connection and the phones on the circuit receiving a signal that has had the data channel filtered out.

Most DSL is asymmetric, meaning download and upload speeds are uneven. It’s also much slower than many other forms of internet service, with the speeds typically topping out at 30 Mbps, though most ISPs offer less than that for DSL.

Fixed wireless internet

Cellular providers became the first to offer data-specific plans for internet connectivity. Long provided to the mobile community, these services now use the same technology to cater to the business market. Microwave signals from towers are used to achieve a point-to-point connection. The benefits are that it requires no cables to the point of service, and speeds can be higher than cable or DSL internet.

This type of connectivity requires a line-of-sight for optimal performance, and transmission can be impacted by weather conditions. It also competes for bandwidth at the tower. High mobile use can slow wireless internet service in more congested urban areas. Despite signal encryption protocols, the data is inherently interceptable between the tower and the point of service, which may be a concern for more security-sensitive applications.

Dedicated Internet Access (DIA)

By far the highest capacity, most reliable and secure internet connection for enterprise, DIA is essentially an unshared and exclusive network connection to the internet from a business location. Fiber optic cable is the fastest physical means of connecting a location to the service provider. This forms a circuit or loop between the business location and ISP, allowing for synchronous transmission mode with speeds ranging between 10 and 100 Gbps.

Latency is further minimized through the reduction of network hops, and security is enhanced as all traffic in and out of the enterprise is continuously monitored for threats. Bandwidth is unaffected by network conditions, as the dedicated line is not shared with any other user. Finally, DIA can be offered as an on-demand service in a consumption-based model, allowing business users to pay by the hour for the speed and bandwidth used.

Dedicated internet access meets and exceeds enterprise-grade internet connectivity standards, making it an excellent choice for businesses over broadband technologies. Lumen® Dedicated Internet Access provides high-speed, low-latency connectivity and delivers a network experience that is easy, quick to configure, and simple to purchase and install.

Lumen is a global leader in internet solutions that are recognized for scalability, availability and reliability. Contact us today to get fast, reliable business internet access.

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