BUSINESS INTERNET SERVICE

There are several significant differences between business and residential Internet.

With speed, bandwidth, and security at the top of the list along with guaranteed service level agreements and uptime, it's easy to see how the benefits of business-class Internet service quickly outweigh the potential savings of a slightly lower cost.

Most businesses, regardless of size, require a reliable, dedicated Internet connection. Residential Internet service uses shared Internet access, and although reliable, it does not meet the same speed and reliability standards of a dedicated business connection. Additionally, if your business requires a static IP address, you will need a business Internet connection.

Next, equipment and hardware used for residential and business Internet differ greatly. A home WiFi router, for example, is not built to the same specifications as a business access point. They are built to last a few years, with a limited number of users, and handle the moderate amount of traffic expected over a home WiFi Internet connection. On the other hand, a business-class router, using a business-class Internet connection, is built to last longer, and handle several simultaneous users at one time, with a great deal of traffic and data coming in and out. A home router's performance will suffer if traffic increases significantly, while a business-grade router should be able to handle large increases in traffic with ease. Additionally, as expected, your home networking equipment will most likely not have the same advanced features found in a business class solution that is built to meet the demands of today's modern businesses.

Security. While your residential Internet security will probably meet the needs and demands of a home setup, security features for business are much more sophisticated and are built to meet and comply with many of the standards required for business, like HIPPA, that require strong security to protect consumer and business data.

There are other significant differences including support and service level agreements, a wide range of business plans, features and options not available with residential service and technologies like optical fiber, Managed WiFi, Hosted VoIP Phone service and more.

Mbps stands for megabits per second. Gbps stands for gigabits per second. One Gbps is equal to 1,000 Mbps. Both are units of measurement that indicate how fast data moves between devices. The lowercase "b" stands for bits, not bytes (indicated with an upper-case B), because neither unit is measuring a device's storage capacity.

Mbps is a more common measurement of transfer speed, but modern, higher-speed data transfer capability through networks is measured in Gbps. Higher Mbps speeds can be suitable for smaller businesses, while Gbps is commonly used in serial data transfers like SATA, SAS disk drives, or Gigabit Ethernet. Higher Gbps, such as 100 Gbps, is capable of handling up to thousands of users who are managing large file transfers and video streaming.

Like many other areas of business such as office space, payroll, and real estate, several cost variables need to be considered, and prices can vary greatly. Business Internet service can run from around $100.00 a month for a business with just a few employees, to much more for a business that employs hundreds, or even thousands of people.

Cox Business provides best-in-class Internet service to businesses and organizations of all sizes, at affordable and competitive prices, along with unmatched service and support. To learn more about our Internet pricing and packages, call 1-866-456-9944 or visit: https://www.cox.com/business/internet/business-internet.html

There is no single definition of "business-class Internet," but it generally refers to a level of business Internet service that includes no download caps, a static IP address, and a higher level of customer service.

Business-class speeds mean you can have several users performing high-volume tasks simultaneously. Your teams can upload and download large graphics, videos, and other files without frustrating lags and lapses.

Yes. If you have a home-based business, Cox Business Internet solutions can give you a boost above and beyond residential Internet services.

Residential Internet service can work well for some types of small, home-based businesses, but if it's not providing the bandwidth you need, you should consider a move to business Internet. Along with the increased bandwidth there are other benefits to consider that include: higher upload speeds for uploading and sharing large files and video conferencing, a static IP address, and business-class security and support.

For more information and details on our Internet plans for small business, call 1-866-456-9944 or visit: https://www.cox.com/business/internet/business-internet.html

Most small businesses today depend on a fast, reliable Internet connection to manage and operate their business. With the increasing use of cloud-based tools and apps, it's essential that your internet service provider can support them when you need them. Cox Business is ready with great connection speeds and the features you need to stay well ahead of the competition.

To determine which Business Internet plan is right for you, schedule a free consultation with a Cox Business Internet representative, call 1-866-456-9944 or visit: https://www.cox.com/business/internet/business-internet.html

Enterprise Internet refers to a variety of scalable enterprise solutions used for connectivity and managed services that enable large businesses to conduct business more efficiently and securely including Optical Internet, Metro Ethernet, SD-WAN, Managed Router, DDoS Mitigation and more.

Calculating your bandwidth needs starts with knowing how many users you have, the tasks they are performing, and approximately how many devices those users have connected to the system.

Robert Moskowitz, writing for Intuit, suggests a rule of "120 kilobits per second for each user you plan to support at one time" as a general guideline. He goes on to say, "Ten users will need 1.2 megabits per second. Twenty users will double that."

Light usage for a few users would include email and simple web browsing with few file transfers or streaming needs and limited guest WiFi. Moderate usage includes music streaming, VoIP needs, some low-intensity file downloads, and expanded guest WiFi. Large-business or enterprise Internet users will need all the above plus heavy video streaming, file transfer protocols, high-intensity downloading, increased guest WiFi capabilities, and more.

Surveying your workforce about their internet tasks and testing your internet speeds are great places to start. Look for times of day where your internet slows due to heavy usage. Check your average internet speed and then add a buffer of 25 to 50 percent to accommodate sudden bursts of usage (huge product debuts or a series of video conferencing meetings, for example) for an idea of how much bandwidth you'll need.

Your specific bandwidth needs may vary but working with your Cox Business representative to determine what is needed now, and what you may need to scale to in the future is something we are experts at. To determine which Business Internet plan is right for you, schedule a free consultation with a Cox Business Internet representative, call 1-866-456-9944 or visit: https://www.cox.com/business/internet/business-internet.html