Internet Services

Internet Services

Having a reliable Internet connection is absolutely essential for businesses today. In order to stay competitive, operate efficiently, and facilitate quick and effective communication, you need high quality Internet connectivity. Fast and secure Internet services will boost both your productivity and cost effectiveness.

Determining your Internet service requirements

When selecting an Internet service for your company, it's important to first establish what your organization's needs are in terms of budget, speed, and other factors. Here are a few details you'll want to consider when determining your Internet service requirements:

• Your location and whether you're considering expansion to new remote sites
• The type and amount of bandwidth you need
• Whether you can bundle Internet services with other solutions (e.g., voice or dial tone) to reduce price
• The hours when you'll need support (e.g., Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., extended hours, weekends, or 24/7)
• Your projected growth during the next three years
• Whether you're willing to pay more for more personalized customer service from your Internet provider

Private vs. public Internet

After you define your unique Internet connectivity requirements, you'll need to decide which type of service would work best for your business. Your organization has a wide range of options to choose from, falling under the two categories of public and private Internet.

Public Internet options include the following:

• Wireless Internet uses frequency bands instead of actual cables to create a connection. If you're located in a metropolitan area, you'll likely have access to fast wireless Internet.
• Satellite Internet is a bit slower than options that use copper or fiber cables, since the connection must be transmitted from Earth to the satellite and back.
• Cable Internet (Coax) involves using a cable modem to deliver a broadband connection that runs over cable TV lines.

Private Internet services include these kinds of connections:

• Fiber Internet is the fastest type currently available and gives you more bandwidth compared to connections transmitted via copper.
• Dial-up Internet creates a connection through a modem linked to standard phone lines.
• Digital subscriber line (DSL) provides an Internet connection using digital signals transmitted over standard phone lines. A business must be within a certain distance of an Internet service provider (ISP) to receive DSL Internet services, so this option is generally used by organizations in urban areas.
• Multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) directs data between network nodes using short path labels instead of long network addresses. This approach is typically used for high-performance telecom networks.
• T1 dedicated Internet access provides you with a private unshared connection. You'll have reliable high-speed connectivity and won't have to compete with others for bandwidth.
• Ethernet over copper (EOC) uses twisted copper phone wire and the same RJ45 jack connection as conventional Ethernet cables. EOC is both affordable and delivers a consistent connection.

Why you should turn to trusted advisors

An advisory firm like Stratosphere Networks that partners with major ISPs can give you an unbiased opinion on your options. Additionally, if you go through us for Internet services rather than working directly with the carrier, you can gain access to a higher level of customer support and rely on a single vendor for all of your Internet account management needs, even if you have multiple locations that use different carriers.