10 Ways To Better Business Broadband

Many small and medium-sized companies depend on their broadband connection to enable their staff to be able to communicate with customers as well as reach out to their potential prospects. Although most companies rely on the connection, only a few companies get the better broadband service from the UK broadband network. The majority of businesses get an unreliable service, and particularly those outside urban areas.

Service providers have however been investing in broadband infrastructure to help improve connection speeds in rural areas. Some businesses in rural areas are however unable to get more than 2mbps connection speeds, a factor that affects their business operations significantly.  For this reason, SME owners ought to do market research on the available broadband in their area before signing up for the service. There are plenty of postcode-based tools that one can use to identify available options in the area. Mobile networks have also been investing in making their mobile broadband technology better, with 4G speeds a reality in most parts of the region. 4G provides realistic speeds similar to wired broadband, hence a possible alternative. Soon 5G will arrive as well.

While you might know this already, internet connection speeds have a huge impact on a user’s productivity. It also has a direct effect on other prospects such as the efficacy of a marketing strategy, lifetime value, and customer retention. Taking several factors into consideration when you compare broadband, or even to improve your current broadband can help you get a much better service. Outlined below are the top 10 tips and tricks on how to improve your broadband user experience.

1.         Look Out For An Updated Product/Package From Your Service Provider

Your broadband service provider could have introduced a better broadband package or service. Checking to see if there’s an up-to-date product offering better speeds, and probably at a more affordable cost. You might however be required to enter into a new contract to secure the service improvement. You also want to ensure you aren’t in a ‘dead spot’ where the service will still be reduced regardless of an upgrade.

2.         Check For Local Loop Unbundled Operators

A local loop unbundled (LLU) operator may offer faster service than most providers in your area. These also make it possible for you to make the switch much faster. You might however have to check to ensure your router supports the operator’s speeds. This is the only way you can get the speeds you will be paying for.

3.         Look For ‘Bundle Deals’

Making one provider your service provider for all your business broadband service needs might help save you some money in the process. Bundle deals are prevalent with many providers today.  

4.         Run Speed Tests

Be sure to run a speed test using tools provided by the ISP to determine maximum achievable speeds. Do this during off-peak hours – early morning hours are the most preferred times to run a speed test.  The results should help you make a more objective decision on better broadband service.

5.         Have an ADSL faceplate filter installed

The filter should be installed in the master socket. It helps improve connection speeds.

6.         Look Out For Issues That Can Cause Connectivity Issues

Some electrical equipment such as mains cabling, motors, and other equipment may cause electrical interference that could affect the broadband’s stability. Try turning some of these off to see if this improves the connection stability and speeds. If yes, you should then contact an electrical engineer for help.

7.         Update Your Browsers

Using an old browser can have a significant impact on your experience among other things. Updating these to the latest releases should offer more control and enhanced web features. Consider browsers such as Opera, Firefox, Edge, and Google Chrome.

8.         Disable Apps That Run In The Background

Some apps use up more bandwidth in the background, hence should be disabled or limited to improve speeds when you need it. Only run such apps (Skype, Spotify, streaming videos, etc.) when you need them, then close them once done. You might also want to limit downloads and streaming during office hours to increase broadband efficiency in the office.

9.         Invest In A Business Class Wi-Fi Solution

If you suffer dropped Wi-Fi signals and poor stability, you should consider investing in a good Wi-Fi router. Stitching from Wi-Fi to ethernet cables can improve speeds and stability significantly.

10.       Consider fiber

Joining hand with another company or companies to get fiber connection might be the solution you all need. Fiber provides stable and faster speeds, hence recommended for businesses. Sharing the cost of the fiber exchange should lower the cost too.

Better broadband increases the productivity of both you and your team.