Extended periods of broadband downtime can be devastating for businesses. What steps can you take to avoid these issues? If you follow this advice, you’ll be able to deal with internet outages effective and keep your workers in the office.
Recently, one of the largest carrier networks in London experienced downtime. This had a significant impact. The outage took place during lunch hours. Although some were able to cope with the situation by moving locations or relying on mobile connections, this wasn’t an option for everyone. Without broadband, it can be impossible to keep a business up and running. Some businesses had to send workers home, which was very costly.
Problems Caused by Internet Outages
According to a report from OnePoll, UK businesses lose £11 billion due to internet downtime. As businesses continue to become more dependent on the internet, these numbers will rise any more. Even when there is compensation for periods of downtime, it’s insufficient. In the best case scenario, providers will offer credit for the period during which service was unavailable. It’s rare for businesses to spend more than a few hundred pounds monthly to stay connected, which means this compensation doesn’t cover losses in trading time or productivity.
Unfortunately, there is no way to guarantee internet access. Businesses typically rely on a single provider for their connection. If there is an issue with the provider’s network, you’ll lose internet access. Issues with the fibre will also lead to an outage.
Because of this, the most effective way to resolve this issue is to obtain a second connection.
Having an additional fibre line installed means that you’ll have backup internet access in the case of an emergency. This may seem like a basic process, but it’s far more complex than it might seem. It can take time to install an additional fibre line. In addition to the physical requirements of installation, there are wayleave agreements to deal with. Even if everything proceeds smoothly, you can expect the process to take two months at minimum. In a worst-case scenario it may take as long as a year. On top of that, you’ll need to cover the expense of two fibre lines in your budget.
How Our Network Can Help
An excellent alternative is to rely on wireless internet access delivered by microwave technology. Rooftop dishes can provide you with wireless internet access. There are a number of benefits to this. To begin with, it isn’t necessary to secure a wayleave agreement. You simply need to obtain permission from your landlord to install the rooftop dish. This allows for a speedier installation process. In addition, there are no concerns about the fibre running into your building, which mean street works won’t be an issue.
There are other benefits on top of that. You’ll find that wireless internet is significantly more affordable than fibre. A 50 mg connection for approximately £150, which is more than enough for the average business as a backup. On top of that, the service is highly dependable. You may find that it’s more dependable than fibre is.
Over the last few years, we’ve added hundreds of new customers throughout central London. Some customers have wireless internet as their primary connection, and others utilize it as their backup, meaning 100% SLA. When you have this additional capacity, you can opt to split bandwidth. For example, you could use wireless to run specific applications or for your guest or staff network, which will reduce the strain on your primary network. If you experience downtime, you’ll be able to switch over to your wireless network, which means work won’t be interrupted.
If you’re looking for a backup internet solution, you’ll find that wireless is the ideal option. It can save you from issues with internet downtime, and it provides you with additional bandwidth and flexibility as well. Businesses and business mobiles need to stay connected, and with wireless, they can.
Do you want to take advantage of wireless internet services? Reach out to us if you’d like to find out more. We’ve installed wireless internet throughout central London and would be happy to assist you.
