Today, all businesses, small or large, need a stable and fast internet connection. Whether it’s a simple job like sending emails or communicating with customers and clients globally, every business requires an internet connection for effective operations. However, with a plethora of internet providers and their offerings, it becomes quite difficult to pick the best plan. Hence, here are some factors that must be considered while choosing the best internet plan for your business.

Factors to consider when choosing the best internet plan for business

Type of connections available
Usually, the type of connection available depends on the area the business is located in. This allows one to either choose between a range of internet connections or limit themselves to one or two options at best. Some of the most popular internet service provider (ISP) connections are:

DSL
Also known as a digital subscriber line, DSL is a broadband connection that employs phone lines to provide access to the internet. While this type of connection is quite budget-friendly, the internet speed provided can be quite slow. Furthermore, the distance between your business location and the ISP’s exchange can greatly affect the quality of the internet connection and its speed. In most cases, a DSL connection can prove functional for small-scale businesses and shops that have only a few employees.

Cable
Cable connections use special cables known as coaxial cable TV lines to connect the business to the internet. Generally, this internet connection type is faster when compared to DSL, but it can be expensive. Most cable connections offer speeds that can handle several people uploading and downloading large files at the same time. However, the speed received may depend on the distance between the business and the cable company’s office. This type of internet connection is usually opted for by medium-sized businesses.

Satellite
An internet connection option that can be used by businesses located in remote or rural areas—satellite connections utilize satellites to transmit data from one point to another. While satellite connections can be expensive, they provide the same speed as a cable or fiber connection. Another downside of this type of connection is that they can be affected by weather and can become slow or inconsistent during extreme weather conditions. A satellite connection can prove useful for businesses that do not have any other viable option for an internet connection.

Fiber
Fiber connections, better known as fiber optic connections, transmit data in the form of pulses of light through glass fibers without any electromagnetic interference. This makes fiber optics one of the fastest, most reliable, and most popular types of internet connection available in the market. Most good quality fiber optic connections can provide internet speeds up to 1000Mbps. With that being said, this type of internet connection is one of the most expensive options. Hence, they are considered best for businesses that require high bandwidth. So, if a business uses the internet for activities such as hosting servers, video conferencing, and video over internet protocol (VoIP), a fiber optic connection can be perfect to ensure global connectivity and reach.

Internet speed needs
One must consider their needs when choosing an internet plan for a business. For instance, a small-scale business with less than 50 employees may need fast internet speeds for transferring large files or video conferencing. In addition to the above, if the business has multiple offices or sensitive customer information, it’s vital to have high-speed internet with sufficient bandwidth. Hence, it’s imperative to assess the needs of the business to avoid being stuck with low speeds or unnecessarily high prices. Thus, here are some examples of online activities and their required bandwidth.

File sharing: 2 to 5 Mbps per person
Video streaming: Standard definition video – 1.5 Mbps, High definition – 3 to 4 Mbps per person
Video conferencing: 2 to 4 Mbps per person

Typically, a newly launched small-scale business may feel comfortable with an internet speed ranging from 10 to 25 Mbps. However, an increase in operations and online activities may require a speed between 100 Mbps to even 1 Gigabit.

Further, one can assess the needed internet speed for their business by adding the bandwidth requirements of all their online activities and multiplying it by the number of employees or devices.

Customer support
Good quality ISPs provide reliable customer support through detailed usage reports. This allows one to scale their required bandwidth as the needs of the business grow. Additionally, business internet plans with 24/7 customer support ensure minimum downtime and loss of money. Hence, while choosing internet plans, one must inquire about assistance, whether by phone or chat, and the availability of on-site technicians. This allows the business operations to run smoothly at all times.

Cap on data
Depending on the internet plan chosen for the business, ISPs impose data restrictions on certain accounts. These limitations can either be in the form of a higher price or a throttle down on the bandwidth. While a cap on data is usually common in residential connections, they can be levied on cable, DSL, and even fiber optic business plans.

In addition to the above factors, one must also consider the contract length, availability of services, and the reputation of the ISP while choosing the best internet plan for their business.

One of the fastest-growing crimes in the world today is cyber crimes. It allows hackers to gain access to information that is not for public use. Hackers use this information to leave the person vulnerable. This also means that the person or company whose data has been breached has its name plastered all over the news. To avoid this, you want to ensure that all your data has been locked tight with the help of antivirus software, endpoint security, and antimalware measures.

Stick to trusted programs
Modern attacks won’t be easily preventable if you rely on free antivirus software to help you with them. It is important that you rely on a trusted provider for a paid, reliable antivirus software package. And if that does not fit your budget, you can look into free versions provided by well-known providers to add security to your company’s data. Antivirus software can be deployed and managed on all of the company’s endpoint devices for optimum security. SentinelOne is one of the most trusted names when it comes to software that provides you with endpoint security and various other products and services. All of which are aimed at protecting you against cyber threats. Platforms that provide endpoint protection use AI-powered attack detection systems, investigation capabilities, triage, and work on a range of operating systems. SentinelOne®’s Singularity™ platform allows you to submit relevant data and further discuss the plan details that would best suit your business’ endpoint security needs.

HTTPS for the win
An SSL certificate is an absolute must-have if you or your business handles customer data through the company website. This will be responsible for the upgradation of your domain to HTTPS and assuring the customers that their customer to your company is secure. The SSL certification is also a surety for the customers that all the data they share is encrypted before making it out of their device. It is an assurance that the shared data is not easily accessible to hackers and is secure from cyber-attacks.

Employee training
It might come across as surprising, but most cyber attacks are partly attributed to human error. It is vital to train employees and make them aware of the right practices for internet usage. Retraining programs are also crucial to ensure your employees do not slip up during working on some projects. This also helps them to be aware of the newer practices to follow. Things to include in the training modules include recognizing fraudulent emails, potential malware links in any form of online communication, the importance of locking computers when stepping away, strong passwords, and multi-factor authentication.

Hire IT professionals
Hiring IT personnel is going to be one of the most gratifying things you can do to prevent cyber attacks. And if you do not have the kind of budget to hire a full-time in-house professional, consider getting in touch with a managed service provider. They can look into your processes and systems and then suggest areas of improvement to strengthen your company’s security further. Plus, they are more aware of the current digital threat trends and similar vulnerabilities and will likely be able to help you with some actionable advice.

Turn on multi-factor authentication
Almost every platform today offers you access to multi-factor authentication to provide you with that added layer of security. It’s another necessary layer that waits for your identification, making sure you are accessing the data. It prevents your account from being used by an unauthorized person and leaves you susceptible to cyber-attack. Whenever you can, make sure you are turning on the multi-factor authentication option for all possible sites.

Avoid public networks
When you are using public networks, keep in mind that you are sharing the network space with everyone else connected. Any information you access, receive or send is accessible to anyone on the network. Being connected to a public network leaves you vulnerable, as anyone can access your information. If you have no choice but to use a public network, try using a VPN to add security to your data. Also, remember that there is no such thing as “secure enough.” As long as you are an internet user, you are vulnerable to cyber-attacks. There is a reason why even the biggest companies in the world invest in cyber security and have teams actively protecting your data.

Back up data
Security breaches can often end up costing you essential data. Make a habit of periodically backing up your data onto a local storage device or on the cloud. This will ensure that all your hard work is available to restore if you lose it off your computer.

Find a White collar hacker
It is important everyone comprehends and accepts the fact that not all hackers are bad guys that loot your life’s savings. Some even do it to help you identify security risks in your system and expose the possibility of a cyber-attack. These White hat hackers go as far as to help you patch up these security flaws.

Use secure file-sharing options
If your work involves regularly sharing sensitive or confidential information, consider using a secure file-share platform. Regular emails aren’t secure enough to be sharing confidential documents. If intercepted, emails can let the wrong people easily access the information you want to keep secure. The platform will also automatically encrypt your files, making it difficult for unauthorized people to read them.