For most small businesses, price is the primary decision-making factor in selecting an Internet provider.  While Internet providers promise low pricing for predetermined Internet speeds, in reality speeds are calculated on educated guesses. In order to keep costs down for both you and the provider, most will oversubscribe customers on shared bandwidth.  The prices for this kind of service are relatively low, but speed tests will show that during business hours and peak usage times, Internet speeds fluctuate significantly and usually below promised levels.  –And when you contact your provider’s customer service to inquire about the discrepancy in speeds, you are often referred to the small print in the contract stating that speeds are “a best effort service”.

This article is best for those who:

• Are interested in learning what your Internet options are,
• Want higher speed Internet, 
• Are dissatisfied with your current Internet provider, and/or
• Are having a hard time getting fiber in your building.

Copper-based service vs. fiber-based service:

Internet service can be offered on either copper platforms or fiber optic lines.  If fiber is available in your building, it’s the best way to go, since it has a greater capacity for higher speeds, and can therefore grow as your business’s data needs expand. Copper platforms are basic, and often have limitations that reduce the availability of those higher speeds.  In addition, fiber services are known to have fewer technical issues than the copper-based services.

See how we’ve helped Earth Treks Climbing Centers with their Internet.

How to upgrade your Internet:

• If you’re currently a GTB customer, please contact us and we will check your building to see if it qualifies for new service. 
• If you’re new to GTB, you can learn more about our Internet service offerings here.  Contact us by email or phone 1 (877) CALL-GTB if you would like a free assessment of your current Internet system.
• Asking around is also helpful.  Here are some business associations we work with and customers we’ve helped.
• Lastly, asking the right questions will get you the right answers.  We outline eight of them directly below.

Questions to ask before getting Internet service:

1. How do speeds differ between business and non-business hours?
2. What kind of speed do I need for my specific type of business?
3. What is the cost difference between sharing a network and having a dedicated Internet circuit?
4. How would you describe your customer service? 
5. On average, how quickly do issues get resolved with your customer service?
6. Is your customer service local or overseas?
7. Can I get fiber in my building?  -And what is the cost-benefit ratio?
8. How would bundling my services affect my pricing and customer service?

Bundling services can make your experience easier, reduce costs and improve your Internet quality:

It’s no surprise that some providers offer better pricing if you bundle the Internet service with voice lines or a hosted PBX service.  What you may not expect is that you often also receive better quality customer service, assistance in finding a holistic solution to multiple needs, and the simplicity of working with one vendor to address multiple needs.

How GTB can help:

GTB makes sure you receive the best Internet option for the lowest cost possible, and can offer fiber in buildings where some providers cannot.  As one of Maryland’s few local high speed Internet providers, our services are designed to support multiple users on a single connection with speeds ranging from 10MB to 100MB.  When your service is provided over our privately managed network, you also receive faster and more efficient use of email, file transfers and web browsing, as well as, 24/7 monitoring.

Having problems getting fiber in your building?   Contact GTB for a free assessment to see if we can do it for you.