Your Internet usage is an integral part of your business infrastructure, so the quality of your service can easily affect your bottom line. Especially as businesses increasingly communicate with and serve their customers virtually, speed and reliability are paramount.

Although your choice in Internet providers will vary according to your location, you should expect nothing less than reliable connectivity and top-notch customer service from the provider you choose.

To make sure you’re buying Internet service that fits the specific needs of your business, here are some important considerations.

Speed

If you've ever been frustrated by a file taking too long to download or stressed out when multiple devices are connected at the same time, you may need to upgrade to high-speed business Internet. But how much speed does a small business really require?

For quickly processing basic transactions for up to 4 devices, 35 Mbps is suitable. If you are looking to handle daily tasks like uploads, downloads, and email for up to 7 devices, you may need up to 100 Mbps. If your day includes streaming of audio and video files as well as browsing content-rich sites for up to 12 devices, 200 Mbps is a good target speed. If you run multiple cloud-based apps, services, and backups—and also need simultaneous large file downloads for 17-plus devices, you may want the blazing speed of up to 1 Gig to keep up with your workload.

Of course, your bandwidth needs will increase if the number of users and devices in your business grows. If you have especially data-hungry applications and a large number of employees, your data demands may go above the demands of a typical business, in which case you may consider ethernet dedicated Internet, with speeds of up to 10 Gigs that have expandable capacity and symmetrical upload and download speeds.

Data caps

Ask your potential provider about any data caps, which are the limits on your bandwidth. Comcast Business has no data caps on broadband service, so you can upload and download as much as you need to without worrying about exceeding your monthly limit.

Customer support

When customers are relying on you, you need to know that you can depend on your telecom provider if something goes wrong. You should ask whether the company provides 24/7 customer support and if they offer appointment windows if you need a technician to come out and attend to a problem.

Flexibility

You think about the future of your business every day, so it's important that your Internet service provider is able to accommodate your business as it evolves and expands over time. More employees and devices, more files being transferred, greater use of cloud computing—all of these things will change your Internet needs. Does the provider offer multiple Internet options? Check into how flexible your provider can be.

Using a cloud-based phone service allows you and your employees to select where their phone rings, either at the office, a cell phone, or home land line. Additionally, if you begin a call at your desk phone but need to head out before the conversation wraps up, you can seamlessly move the call to your mobile phone.

Security

When it comes to security tools, the best defense is a mix of tactics. Threat monitoring, firewalls, and anti-virus solutions are all valuable cybersecurity measures, but none of them alone are silver bullets—they should be used in tandem with each other and alongside smart online hygiene practices. Beyond that, you should implement active threat monitoring to help protect Internet-connected devices for employees and guests from malware, ransomware, phishing, botnets, and more.

Take stock of the bandwidth required by your business before you contact potential providers and ask other small business owners in your area about their experiences with the providers they use. A speedy and reliable connection is an essential investment for your small business—and for your peace of mind. Take time to find one that truly matches your business’s needs.

Comcast Business has the largest, fastest, reliable network providing speeds of up to 10 Gig to small businesses. See how Comcast Business can help your small business today.