How to choose a business broadband plan for your business

31 July 2019 | SMB, Digitalisation, Internet, Business Fibre Broadband | 7 min read

Choosing a broadband plan that meets your business needs is important. A fast and reliable internet means you’ll have the time to focus on other areas of your business. It may feel like a simple task but there are a few considerations to keep in mind.

Fortunately, there are many different broadband options available. It’s just up to you to determine the right package. Whether you’re setting up an office for the first time, running a small business or looking to upgrade your connectivity to cater to a bigger office, you’ll have different requirements.

Aside from the connection speed and price, what are some of the things to look out for when picking a broadband service for your business? Here are some other points to consider:

1. Security – Security is something you can’t ignore when you want to sign up for a broadband service. You probably have sensitive information that you wouldn’t want to lose or reveal to third parties. Some packages come with security feature such as antivirus and firewall.
2. Actual vs advertised speeds - Is the ISP able to provide the actual “advertised” connection speeds? This relates to the Peak Information Rate (PIR) and will affect the actual speeds you can achieve on your connection.
3. Quality of network -  Is the internet connectivity shared between consumers and business users? Some ISPs separate the traffic, providing a different enterprise-grade network for their business customers. 
4. Customer support – checking the provider’s customer support is vital. You want to be sure that in the event of a downtime, there’s a team that will work diligently to bring things back to normal.

With that in mind, there are multiple broadband packages available that include different added services which address each of the above considerations. Let’s look at some Singtel broadband plans that would be suitable for your business.

1. Basic, reliable Dynamic IP internet connectivity for almost everyone

The ideal plan here would be the SingNet eVolve Business Fibre Broadband with Dynamic IP for those who just need a reliable, fast and high-bandwidth internet connectivity. With this plan, one is able to access unlimited symmetrical internet (one where the upload/download speed is the same) of between 100Mbps to 1Gbps. Also, it rides on SingNet’s GPON business-grade network to access the cloud and internet. 

CONSIDER: WiFi Mesh

Singtel WiFi Mesh is an add-on that can help you increase the WiFi coverage within your office quickly and simply. Firstly, it has an easy wireless set up, where you only need to plug in the wireless equipment and it will be instantly connected to your SingNet Broadband line. Secondly, WiFi Mesh has a seamless handover function between the mesh units, so it eliminates any "breaks" in connectivity on your staff's devices, thus increasing productivity. Thirdly, it comes with a band steering technology that enables everyone to be logged on via the strongest strong internet connection. 

This package can also be used for larger offices, only that you will have to add more WiFi mesh units to increase the area coverage.

2. For businesses that need a Static IP address

The SingNet eLite Business Fibre Broadband is the right choice for businesses that require a static IP. These are usually those that work with IT infrastructure such as hosting data or applications, remote access to servers, or have customers that require them to have a unique, static IP to access secured networks. It also includes advanced services such as Singtel Software-Defined broadband for an all-in-one cloud management solution for networking, security and application control.

It also offers enterprise grade connectivity and unlimited symmetrical internet access.  What’s more, you’re offered installation, setup and 24/7 technical support.

3. Need to separate traffic (2 connection)

If you need to separate traffic, such as a publicly accessible network and a more secure and private one, you can get dual fibre broadband connections with either Fibre Broadband Plus or Business Broadband Duo.

• Fibre Broadband Plus
  This is a great plan if you have an existing Singtel business fibre broadband connection and need an additional one to create two separate networks - usually one for secured business use and the other to be used as a public network for BYOD users or guest WiFi. It is easier to manage considering that any changes made to one network won’t affect the other. It’s also quite affordable since you only need to top-up to acquire the second line. Fibre Broadband Plus can also be used for wider WiFi coverage by adding another internet access point to your existing set-up and improves performance by reducing network congestion.
• Business Broadband Duo (Package)
  The Business Broadband Duo package offers businesses that wants a dual fibre broadband from the start. It has the same benefits of the Fibre Broadband Plus service and added simplicity when it comes to setup. It comes with a Business Fibre Broadband connection (Dynamic IP), an additional 30 Mbps broadband connection (Dynamic IP), router hardware to support the connections and installation to increase coverage in the office.

4. Need continuity with wireless as backup

If your business always requires an always-on connection, the Business Broadband Continuity Pack offers the perfect solution. It provides connection redundancy over a 4G wireless network that not only allows you to stay connected to the internet but also ensures your data is backed up on the cloud. This way, you can effortlessly recover your data if you happen to lose it. The plan comes with the following on top of the fibre broadband service:

• SingNet Wireless Backup - This is a mobile data service that provides automatic 4G wireless backup with data worth 2GB. It comes with a SIM Card and a USB Modem.
• Business Backup Suite - This allows workstations to backup data. Data is stored in an MTCS-Singapore certified data centre and is protected by AES256 data encryption 24/7. Users will also get 500 GB storage and 3 workstations.
• WiFi Mesh - Included in the package, WiFi Mesh (Twin Pack) increases coverage within the office.

5. Need enhanced security services

The Business Broadband with SME security pack ensures that your business network is safe from threats such as malware. The plan comes with a

• 250 mbps broadband connection (dynamic IP),
• Business Protect Basic (endpoint desktop/mobile protection),
• Broadband Protect and Content Filtering (cloud-based),
• SingNet Wireless Backup.

This would be the right choice for those who want to have a network security package on top of their internet connectivity. It’s also convenient since you will be getting connectivity and security in a single billing.

Singtel broadband plans are great for new business and companies that are moving to new offices. The plans are designed to help clients acquire strong internet connections and generally increase efficiency.

For more information, call 1800-763-1111 or visit the Business Fibre Broadband promotions page to view more broadband plan deals.