Choosing the right internet plan for your home can be tricky, and there are a lot of things to consider: How many Mbps do you need? How many devices are you connecting? Is cost your biggest factor? Add in a home office or a small business you run from home, and it gets even more confusing.If you’re a small business owner or need to work from home out of an office, here’s what you need to know about office internet.Business vs.
residential internet overview If you have a home office or business you run from your home, you can choose between a residential or business internet connection. Business internet is a specific internet connection dedicated to conducting business.It typically comes with faster download and upload speeds, more features, a robust customer service department and guaranteed service.That said, it is more expensive than residential internet. Residential internet service is the type of internet most people use at their homes.
It usually has lower speeds than business internet, depending on which type you get, but also offers many affordable internet options. Internet typePrice range Speed rangeFeatures Residential$19.99 – $299.95/mo.50 – 6,000 MbpsBundling options, promotional prices and perks, cheap plan options Business$50.00 – $395.00/mo.50 – 10,000 Mbps Customer service, static IP address, service level agreements Business fiber internet plans ProviderStarting priceDownload speed rangeUpload speed range AT&T Fiber$70.00/mo.*300 – 2,000 Mbps300 – 2,000 Mbps CenturyLink$55.00/mo.**100 – 940 Mbps30 – 940 Mbps Frontier Business Fiber $69.99/mo.***500 – 2,000 Mbps500 – 2000 Mbps Learn more about business internet Residential fiber internet plans ProviderPrice range*Download speed rangeRating Google Fiber$70.00 – $100.00/mo.1,000 – 2,000 Mbps4.50/5 AT&T$55.00 – $250.00/mo.**300 – 4,700 Mbps4.43/5 Verizon Fios$49.99 – $89.99/mo.300 – 940 Mbps4.42/5 CenturyLink$50.00 – $75.00/mo.200 – 940 Mbps4.33/5 Frontier Fiber$39.99 – $154.99/mo.500 – 5,000 Mbps4.27/5 Xfinity$75.00 – $299.95/mo.3,000 – 6,000 Mbps3.57/5 Windstream$39.99 – $299/mo.200 – 8,000 Mbps3.95/5 Cox$50.00 – $150.00/mo.1,000 – 2,000 Mbps3.56/5 Optimum$40.00 – $180.00/mo.300 – 5,000 Mbps4.18/5 Ziply Fiber$10.00 – $300.00/mo.100 – 10,000 Mbps3.71/5 Sparklight$50.00 – $110.00/mo.200 – 1,000 Mbps3.73 Earthlink$54.95 – $99.95/mo.100 – 1,000 Mbps3.01 WOW$30.00 – $95.00/mo.100 – 5,000 Mbps4.00/5 Spectrum$49.99 – $89.99/mo.300 – 1,000 Mbps3.67 Learn more about home internet Key differences between business and residential internet Speed and pricing Business internet offers speeds ranging from as low as 10 Mbps to as high as 10 Gbps.
Business internet is also known for its fast upload speeds that are often symmetrical with download speeds.Residential internet providers offer multi-gig speeds, which is more than enough for even a large household, but still not as fast as some business internet plans and many plans still don’t have symmetrical download and upload speeds.However, residential internet offers more affordable plan options than business internet.
You can get a 5G plan for as low as $25/mo.with Verizon 5G Home Internet or a regular home internet plan for as low as $19.99/mo.with Mediacom.
Features Business internet costs more because of its speeds and features.Some of these features include static IP addresses, backup networks and service level agreements.The static IP addresses allow you to host a company server and email addresses with an IP that never changes.
Business internet also offers backup networks, like 4G LTE for example, just in case an outage occurs. Service level agreements are also a game changer with business internet because you can get reimbursed if your provider falls short.Residential internet services do not have this safety net, and often many customers do not actually get the speeds they’re paying for. Can I use residential internet for my business? If you are operating a business, it’s best to use business internet instead of residential to avoid any internet speed issues.If you are operating a small business out of your home that does not require a robust network, then a fast residential internet plan could work. Residential internet service for small businesses Like we mentioned above, if you have a small business and don’t require the internet speed and features that business internet offers, then a residential internet plan can work just fine.
There are many options to choose from, and you can still achieve blazing fast multi-gig speeds without paying for the added business internet features. Can I get business internet for my home? Yes, business internet has become more common in home offices since more people have begun working from home.If you want the high speed and unique features, then business internet is a great choice. Business internet for home offices There are plenty of business internet options for home offices.You don’t necessarily have to get the superfast business plans that are often advertised.
Providers like AT&T, Verizon and Frontier offer business internet plans ranging from 50 – 5,000 Mbps. Do you need a residential or business internet connection? Whether or not you need a residential or business internet connection depends on the needs of your home office or small business. If you’re conducting the majority of your business from home, you may want to consider a business internet connection.However, if a lot of what you’re doing at home is clerical work or a few video conference calls, a high-speed residential connection may be enough.Decide how much you really need Before you consider making the switch, you need to decide how much internet speed you need for your home office or small business.
Run a speed test to determine what you’re currently getting and make a list of all of your online activities.Your speed test results: Download Speeds 888 Mbps Upload Speeds 88 Mbps Take again Need more for the price? Try these helpful hacks to improve your internet speed.Or if you just want more bang for your buck, check out providers near you with more speed for the price.
Either way, we’ll help you find what you need.View providers near me Rather chat? Give us a call: (844) 451-2720 Rather chat? Give us a call: (844) 451-2720 Pro Tip: For best results, use an Ethernet cord to connect your router or modem directly to your device before you run the test.If the majority of what you’re doing involves checking email, browsing the web, maintaining a website and conducting some video conferences, a high-speed residential internet connection may be enough. Where available, a fiber-optic internet connection may be your best bet.
Fiber-optic internet typically comes with higher starting speeds of 100 Mbps up to 1,000 Mbps, is less likely to be disrupted during peak times and comes with symmetrical (or close to symmetrical) upload and download speeds.If you want to see what high-speed internet options are available in your area, click “Shop internet plans” below.Follow our Resource Center for tips and tricks to maximize your speed and get the most of your connection.
Residential vs.business internet FAQs What is business internet? Business internet is a type of internet service that offers high speeds and unique features for business-specific needs.If you own a small business or operate one out of your home, business internet is likely a better option than residential internet.
Why is business internet more expensive than residential? Business internet is more expensive than residential internet because it provides faster download and upload speeds as well as unique features like 24/7 customer service and static IP addresses. Which providers offer the fastest business internet? If you’re looking for business internet, fiber plans are the best you can get.AT&T Business Fiber internet has plans ranging from 10 Mbps to 5 Gbps. Written by: Camryn Smith Cammy is a writer with Allconnect, growing her broadband industry knowledge for over a year on the internet marketplace.Her expertise lies in home internet and broadband service with a focus on providers, plans… Read more Edited by: Robin Layton Editor, Broadband Content Read bio What to read next Read more Featured How to switch internet providers and save money Joe Supan — 6 min read Featured Tips to secure your internet connection when working from home Robin Layton — 3 min read Featured The hidden internet fees you really pay with each provider Joe Supan — 9 min read Latest Wednesday, May 1, 2024 Business vs.
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