Picking the right Internet service can sometimes be a pain, and we understand that. There are many different types of service, speeds, and brands out there and picking the right one for your home or business is important. For the most part, we have been taught to believe that speed is the most important thing and that the package with the highest speed at the lowest cost wins, right? Not so fast. When it comes to Internet, speed isn’t always king. The questions and answers below, along with your Intechtel representative, will help you to determine the right type of Internet service for your needs. Call us at 208-635-4400 or email us at [email protected] anytime. We are here to help you make the best decision in choosing your Internet service.
What is the primary purpose of the Internet service? If for business, it is a good idea to look at services that offer uptime guarantees and service level agreements, especially if you are hosting websites or databases that are accessed by customers constantly. Additionally, if you are using VoIP for phone service it becomes even more important to look at these things.
Will the Internet service be used primarily for gaming or VoIP? If this is the case, satellite based Internet services will typically be out of the running unless they are your only option based on where you live. Reason being is that most Internet satellites are in geostationary orbits 22,000 miles away from earth. With Internet literally travelling at the speed of light at 186,000 miles per second and you take into account the 44,000 mile round trip, it equates to a roughly 1/4 to 1/3 of a second delay when you include the latency from the networks here on earth and when it comes to gaming and VoIP, that delay makes all the difference in the world.
Whats the difference between DSL and cable Internet? The primary difference is that DSL tends to be a dedicated connection from the phone company central office and internet equipment to your DSL modem, your advertised speeds will typically be more consistent than that of cable, but DSL is limited by the distance from that central office.Cable is typically distributed to your home via nodes in every neighborhood, and then back to the cable company central office thus being a shared connection. In times of high usage by others, your connection speed and latency could suffer. On the flip side, cable Internet usually offers higher speeds than DSL, and is not as distance dependent.
Are uptime and reliability the most important factors? If so, considering connections such as a T1, bonded T1, or fiber may be required. The costs for these services are typically many times that of a basic cable or DSL connection, but offer piece of mind in the form of service level agreements, packet delivery guarantees, and uptime guarantees. When Internet is mission critical to your business, these options may be where you want to focus your attention.