FREE Customized Price QuotesPricing and choosing a provider
Before you decide what type of Internet access is best for your business, it helps to know what the typical price ranges are. Here's a look at what you can expect to pay for broadband Internet access for your business.
DSL is the least expensive option for business-grade Internet. Your costs will vary according to the type of service you choose and your location, but you can expect monthly costs to vary from $50 to $250. In general, your monthly costs for DSL usage should be constant, although if you drastically exceed your bandwidth limits you may have to pay overage charges.
You'll pay more for the additional bandwidth and reliability of T1 lines. Prices start around $200/month for the most bare-bones plans and can reach $1,000/month for multiple T1 connections.
In both cases, you'll have to pay a setup fee that can range from $100 to $500 in most cases. If you're setting up a network for the first time, your costs for wiring and setting up routers will be much higher, and you're generally better off contracting with a networking company to handle those tasks.
Choosing an ISP
While costs are an important consideration, they should not be the most important factors in choosing your Internet service provider. Paying an extra $50 or $100 per month won't make a difference to your business in the long term –having dependable, high-performance Internet access is worth it.
Whether you compare ISPs directly or use an Internet access broker, take the time to ask detailed questions about the service levels and backgrounds of each provider:
- How long have they been in business?
- What is their primary business?
- Do they offer 24/7 tech support on the phone?
- What kind of guarantees or SLAs do they offer?
- How long a contract would you have to sign?
- Will they provide the routers and cabling you need? Are there additional costs?
- Do they have references you can call?
Be sure to compare multiple providers! The local phone company may offer DSL and/or T1 lines, but their low prices may mask the fact that it's hard for a small business to get the customer support you deserve. They may in fact be the best choice — but you have to investigate several providers before you know for sure.
The smart way to choose is to get detailed price quotes from multiple providers — and Internet Access Advisor can help. Submit a FREE price quote request and we'll help you find the best Internet access providers in your area.