Choose the right Internet connection

Is there a “best” way for a business to connect to the Internet? Is one type of connection “better” than another? When should a business consider changing its mode of access?

According to Andre Joubert, GM of MWEB Business, there is just one answer to all these questions: it depends.

“How to connect to the Internet depends on how much Internet traffic your business generates, how large your average files are, your budget, where your business is located, what you use the Internet for, and how important the speed of the connection will be to you,” he says.

“All the various connectivity options - fibre, ADSL and the different flavours of wireless - have pros and cons. The trick is to evaluate each and then make a more informed decision based on your business's needs and circumstances.”

While businesses have a wider choice of connectivity options than ever before, there is a connectivity trend that has remained constant over the years: the need for speed continues unabated.

Much of what business people do online today - e-mailing large attachments, online courses, videoconferencing (or simply Skyping), downloading applications and services and virtually everything that falls within the broad ambit of cloud computing, would not be possible without fast, reliable, uncapped Internet connectivity.

Businesses consume more data than they did last year, and the year before that. It wasn't too long ago that a 64Kb modem was the best available; now - for many businesses - anything less than a 4Mbit line would be unthinkable.

“With the demand for speed of connectivity increasing, a good rule of thumb is for a business to purchase as much speed as it can afford - regardless of the type of connection used,” Joubert adds.

In order to assist businesses to choose the best connectivity option for their needs, MWEB Business has compiled the following table with some of the more important pros and cons to bear in mind when considering how to connect to the Internet: