The Ultimate Guide to Small Business Broadband

There are many reasons why choosing the right business broadband for your needs is important for SMEs. A reliable broadband connection that provides the speed you need helps your operations run smoothly and more efficiently. On the other hand, unreliable internet service can cause significant disruption and result in substantial lost revenue. One study found that internet downtime cost UK businesses more than £3.7 billion in 2023. For small businesses especially, the consequences of a slow or frequently dropping internet connection can be substantial, affecting productivity, profitability and customer satisfaction.

In this guide, we look at everything you need to know to choose the best small business broadband package for your company, which can help give you the online infrastructure you need to succeed and thrive.

Understand Your Small Business Broadband Needs

Before you look for the best small business broadband deals available in your location, you first need to make sure that you understand the kind of package that your specific company needs to operate efficiently. This will depend on a number of different factors, including:

• How many employees will be using the broadband at any one time?

• What does your broadband connection need to do, i.e., what critical operations rely on the internet in your workplace? Do you use video conferencing, download or send large files etc?

• What you expect your future needs to be – finding a solution that can be scaled when required is important.

• Whether you need a static IP address, for example, if you are hosting a website, want to set up secure remote access, or need to access other secure networks from your work location.

Having a good understanding of your business needs when it comes to broadband will help determine the connection speed that will best suit your operations, enable you to futureproof your setup and give you the other data you need to make an informed choice about your next provider and package.

What Broadband Speed Does Your Business Need?

Speed is a critical element of every business broadband connection because underestimating what your company needs can mean issues such as:

• Slow downloads and file sharing

• Glitchy and buffering video calls

• Slow access to online platforms and apps that your business uses to function well

• Inefficient communication

If you also host websites using your business broadband connection or have a VPN that staff access remotely, a broadband connection that is too slow for your needs can also make these virtually impossible to use. If you’re a company that relies on online sales or enquiries through your website, this can be catastrophic for the business, extremely frustrating for customers and can make it impossible for staff to work effectively.

When a business broadband connection is the right speed for the company's requirements, it can improve productivity, security, customer service, reliability and profitability, so it really matters to your company’s success.

Different Small Business Broadband Speed Examples

A business in the UK with fewer than 50 employees could be classed as an SME, so the different broadband needs can be quite diverse. A sole trader working alone and doing some basic online admin will have very different broadband speed requirements to a company of 40+ employees all needing to access online platforms and communications constantly.

Below are some examples of business broadband speeds and the kinds of activities they are suited to:

Up to 8 Mbps – A very basic level of standard broadband that would support one or two users in light internet use, such as emails and general internet browsing.

Up to 24 Mbps – Could support small teams (fewer than five users) with basic internet services such as emails, browsing websites and downloading small files.

Up to 80 Mbps – Could support up to ten users with work such as video streaming, sending files frequently and processing customer orders and communications.

Up to 150 Mbps – Could support teams of up to twenty users with access to cloud services, video calls and larger file uploads or downloads.

Up to 250 Mbps – Could support larger businesses of fifteen or more users who need to be able to stream videos, host conference calls and run small servers.

Up to 500 Mbps – Could support businesses with more than 20 users who need to constantly access online services like cloud-based platforms and storage and make backups of large files or host several servers.

Over 1 Gbps – Could support larger businesses with all the broadband speed needed for everyday online operations, communications and infrastructure.

It’s worth noting that the broadband speeds that individual businesses can access will depend on their location, the type of broadband connection they have, along with other factors such as the equipment (router) being used, any caps to bandwidth implemented by the supplier, the number of users active on the connection at the same time and the types of activities they are performing.

Find out more in our Business Broadband Speed Guide.

Types of Small Business Broadband

Business broadband is often used as a single term that covers quite a few different technologies to bring an internet connection to a business. The main types of small business broadband available in the UK include:

Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ASDL)

ADSL is a type of broadband that uses a copper telephone landline to give internet access. It can be a cost-effective option for small businesses, but there are limits to the broadband speed it can provide and the technology will no longer be available after the UK’s digital switchover in 2027.

Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC)

FTTC uses a combination of copper wire and fibre optic cables to deliver business broadband to companies. It gets its name because it’s fibre optic cable that delivers the broadband to the nearest street cabinet, then copper wire that delivers it to the business premises itself. FTTC offers higher speeds than ASDL but again is being phased out because of the digital switchover from copper wire to full fibre broadband in 2027.

Fibre to the Premises (FTTP)

FTTP uses fibre optic cables directly to the business premises rather than using older copper wires for part or all of the system. FTTP brings high speeds for downloads and uploads, making it more suitable for small businesses with higher online data needs.

Leased Lines

A leased line is essentially a dedicated business broadband connection that isn’t shared by anyone outside of your company and gives a direct link between the service provider’s data centre and the business premises. This can deliver high-speed broadband that isn’t affected by peak usage times and is highly reliable.

Find out more about business FTTP vs leased lines.

Comparing Other Small Business Broadband Features

While connection types and speed are usually the main priorities when looking at small business broadband, there are also more features to consider when comparing providers and packages. These may include:

Service Level Agreement (SLA)

Essentially, this is a part of the contract with a business broadband provider that outlines their promises about uptime (usually 99.9% with small business broadband) and the amount of time within which they will fix any technical issues that are interrupting service.

Backup Connection

While many business broadband providers offer guarantees about uptime/downtime, some also provide a backup way to connect just in case the main connection does go down at a critical time. The backup will usually be a 5G connection.

Static IP

Without a static IP address, every time a device connects to the internet, it can have a different dynamic IP address. While this isn’t an issue for some small businesses, it can cause problems if the company is a website host or runs its own servers or Virtual Private Network (VPN) for remote access, amongst other things. Having a static IP address means that each device has its own dedicated IP address that doesn’t change each time it connects or disconnects from the network.

Security

Small business broadband often comes with enhanced security features that you wouldn’t find as standard with residential broadband, but this can vary between suppliers and deals. This might include solutions such as firewalls, anti-virus and support for secure VPNs.

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Integration

VoIP enables businesses to make and receive phone calls via their broadband connection rather than needing a separate phone system, which can often be a more cost-effective solution. Some small business broadband providers will provide this functionality alongside the standard internet services.

Customer Support

When you’re investing in small business broadband, you’ll want to know that the provider’s customer service is highly rated, with a proven track record of responding to any issues quickly and ensuring a fast resolution of the problem.

Finding the Best Value Small Business Broadband

Cost is a major factor in the choice of broadband for many small businesses, although it isn’t always as simple as just opting for the cheapest deal. As already mentioned, there are multiple elements that make up a good and reliable business broadband service, so you have to balance your budget constraints with the quality of internet services you need in order for the company to succeed and grow.

At BusinessComparison, we do all the hard work by finding you competitive small business broadband quotes from providers with excellent service ratings and features. We have access to a wide range of broadband providers to help ensure you can find the best value package for your specific needs.

We will ask a few questions to ensure that we understand exactly what you are looking for, then save you time by finding the best deals available that fit your requirements in your specific location.

How to Choose a Reliable SME Broadband Provider

Reliability is key when it comes to small business broadband. Your company needs your broadband to deliver the speeds and features promised within minimal downtime and keep your operations running as smoothly as possible.

You also need to know that your broadband provider can provide for your evolving needs in the future, providing the scalability required for growth and any other changes.

To give you peace of mind about broadband reliability, it’s always a good idea to check independent online reviews from other small businesses about the service they have received from any provider you are considering. Along with their SLA and uptime guarantees, this can give a good idea of what to expect from your broadband company.

Find out more about how to choose between your business broadband options.