Everything you need to know about business internet

Camryn Smith
CS
Camryn Smith

Nov 25, 2024 — 3 min read

A business internet plan can offer you fast and reliable speeds to ensure your business runs smoothly throughout all of its daily operations.

woman on laptop packing boxes

What is business internet?

Business internet is a specific internet service dedicated to providing high-speed internet to businesses, organizations and enterprises. It typically provides faster upload and download speeds and has more features than residential internet, but it’s also much more expensive. 

What is the difference between business and home internet? 

The difference between business and home internet mainly comes down to speed and price. Business internet service is meant to support businesses, which requires faster upload and download speeds in order to support the internet activities of employees and daily business operations. 

Most people use residential internet in their homes for their internet connections. Residential internet still offers fast speeds, depending on the type of internet you get, but is far more affordable than business internet.

Learn more about home internet

Learn more about business internet

factors to consider when choosing a business internet provider

The best business internet service providers for small businesses

Some of the top residential ISPs in the country also offer business internet. The providers below each offer business internet plans that are ideal for smaller businesses. Compare providers by price and speed, but make sure the provider is available at your business’ service address before you choose one.

*AT&T Business Fiber: Service includes modem or gateway Equipment. Credit restrictions and other conditions and limitations may apply. Taxes & Fees: Up to $125 installation fee may apply, plus tax where applicable. A Monthly State Cost Recovery Fee applies in OH, TX, NV and a Cost Assessment Charge (up to 7%) may apply in certain states, which are not government-required. Taxes also apply. For one time AT&T transactional fees, see www.att.com/BusinessInternetFees for details. Pricing and offers subject to change without notice. Subj. to Internet Terms of Service at att.com/internet-terms. As of 11/25/24.
**Limited availability. Service and rate in select locations only. Paperless billing required. Taxes and fees apply.
*** For first 12 months w/ Auto Pay.
****Per month. Plus taxes, fees and equipment charges.

Choosing a business internet provider 

When looking for a business internet provider, you must consider a few factors, starting with the type of internet you want. Then, consider the speed you need to power your business, the price point you want to stay at and the features you’re looking for.

  • Network type – Cable, fiber, satellite, fixed wireless and 5G internet are all internet technology types you can consider, although they may not all be available at your location. Fiber internet is the most popular type of internet for businesses since it is the fastest and most reliable internet type. If fiber isn’t available to you, cable internet is the next best choice
  • Speed and reliability – If you need internet for a midsize to large business and use high-bandwidth applications, you should definitely consider a multi-gigabit connection
  • Price – Business internet plans are more expensive than residential plans, but the price will depend on the type and speed of the connection. Different providers offer different prices, but the faster the connection, the more expensive the plan. If you run a small business out of your home, you won’t need a plan as fast as someone running a larger business with many employees
  • Features – Business internet also provides more features than a regular residential plan. When choosing a provider, consider the features that may benefit your business

How to keep your business internet network safe

Cyberattacks can have dire consequences on businesses, whether they harm employees or consumers, or jeopardize the business itself. Keeping your business network safe can make all the difference when it comes to the safety of your employees, customers and organization.

Luckily, there are steps you can take to keep your business network secure: 

  • Create a cybersecurity action plan
  • Train your employees
  • Enforce password protection on all company devices
  • Invest in firewall security
  • Make backups of all data and documents in case of a breach
  • Use protected and secure Wi-Fi
  • Limit employee access to sensitive business information 
  • Update security software regularly

Read more about these tips on how to keep your business network safe. 

Business internet FAQs

How much does business internet cost?

Business internet costs can range from less than $100 to over $500/mo. depending on your plan and provider. It’s safe to assume business internet will be a more expensive investment than residential internet due to its speeds and features.

Business internet is faster than residential internet, but more expensive due to its speed capacity and added features. If you run your own business, a business internet plan can offer you a safe, fast and reliable internet connection for your daily business operations.

If you run a very small business with limited employees, you could get away with a fast residential plan. Residential plans will have high-speed capacity depending on the provider and technology type. Providers like AT&T and Frontier offer fiber plans up to 5,000 Mbps, which could be more than enough speed to handle a small business depending on its daily operations. However, a business internet plan ensures a high-speed connection and comes with added features like service level agreements and a robust customer service team.

Camryn Smith

Written by:

Camryn Smith

Camryn Smith started writing for Allconnect in July 2022 and has developed broadband expertise across the landscape, including home internet providers, plans, pricing and equipment, as well as internet technolog… Read more

What to read next Read more

Latest