Reliable connectivity for the systems your business depends on
Your internet connection is no longer just a way to browse the web.
It supports your email, Microsoft 365, cloud applications, telephone system, video meetings, remote workers, backups, security tools and customer services.
When the connection is slow or unreliable, the whole organisation feels it.
Calls break up. Teams meetings freeze. Cloud applications stop responding. Staff cannot work. Customers wait while your suppliers argue about who is responsible.
Stratiis helps organisations choose, manage and support the right business connectivity.
From business broadband and leased lines to backup internet, managed Wi-Fi and multi-site networks, we help create a reliable foundation for your wider technology environment.
Better connectivity. Fewer interruptions. One partner to call when something goes wrong.
Is poor connectivity holding your business back?
Connectivity problems are not always dramatic.
Sometimes the internet does not fail completely.
It simply becomes slow enough to disrupt the working day.
You may recognise some of these situations:
- Microsoft Teams calls regularly freeze
- Employees complain that cloud systems are slow
- Uploading or downloading large files takes too long
- Wi-Fi works in some areas but not others
- Remote workers struggle to access company systems
- Your hosted telephone calls break up
- Backups take too long to complete
- Several offices have different internet providers
- Nobody knows who should investigate a fault
- Your connection has failed more than once
- You have no backup internet service
- New cloud services have been added without reviewing capacity
- Your existing broadband contract no longer fits the business
- Suppliers blame the network whenever a problem occurs
These issues can affect productivity, customer service and employee confidence.
They can also hide bigger risks.
If your business depends on one connection, one router or one provider, a single failure may stop large parts of the organisation from working.
What is business connectivity?
Business connectivity is the combination of services that connect your employees, offices, devices and cloud systems.
It may include:
- Business broadband
- Full-fibre connectivity
- Leased lines
- Backup internet
- 4G and 5G failover
- Managed routers
- Firewalls
- Managed Wi-Fi
- Multi-site networks
- SD-WAN
- Site-to-site connectivity
- Remote access
- Cloud connectivity
- Network monitoring
The right solution depends on how your organisation works.
A small office using email and basic cloud applications will have different needs from a multi-site organisation running hosted voice, cloud backups, customer-service systems and video meetings.
We help you understand the difference between what is available and what your business genuinely needs.
Why business connectivity matters
Your cloud services depend on it
Moving systems to the cloud does not remove your dependence on local connectivity.
It increases it.
If employees use Microsoft 365, cloud accounting software, online customer systems, hosted desktops or cloud storage, the internet connection becomes part of the working environment.
A poor connection can make a good cloud system feel unreliable.
Your phone system may depend on it
Hosted Voice and Microsoft Teams Phone rely on stable connectivity.
Calls can be affected by:
- Packet loss
- Delay
- Network congestion
- Poor Wi-Fi
- Router problems
- Internet outages
- Incorrect firewall settings
A phone system should not be installed without reviewing the connection underneath it.
Hybrid workers need reliable access
Employees working between home, offices and customer locations need secure and consistent access to company systems.
This depends on:
- Internet availability
- Secure remote access
- Device management
- Cloud services
- Identity protection
- Suitable home connectivity
- Reliable business networks
Connectivity should support flexible working without weakening security.
Customers expect you to remain available
If your connection fails, customers may be unable to:
- Reach your telephone system
- Access online services
- Receive support
- Make payments
- Contact your team
- Complete transactions
- Receive updates
The cost of downtime is not limited to lost employee time.
It can also affect customer trust and reputation.
Our business connectivity services
Business broadband
Business broadband can provide a practical and cost-effective connection for many small and medium-sized organisations.
It may be suitable for offices that use:
- Microsoft 365
- Cloud applications
- Web-based systems
- Video meetings
- Hosted Voice
- Remote access
- Online backups
However, not every broadband service is the same.
We consider:
- Download speed
- Upload speed
- Service availability
- Static IP addresses
- Router quality
- Support arrangements
- Expected usage
- Number of employees
- Cloud dependency
- Voice and video traffic
- Backup requirements
- Contract terms
We help you choose a business service rather than simply accepting the fastest advertised speed.
Full-fibre connectivity
Full-fibre services use fibre-optic cabling directly to the premises where available.
They can provide faster and more stable connectivity than older services that rely partly on copper cabling.
Full fibre may be suitable for organisations that need:
- Faster download speeds
- Improved upload performance
- Better support for cloud systems
- More reliable video meetings
- Hosted telephone services
- Growing numbers of users
- Large file transfers
- Remote access
Availability varies by location.
We can check the options available at your premises and explain the practical differences between them.
Business leased lines
A leased line provides a dedicated internet connection for your organisation.
Unlike a shared broadband service, the connection is designed to deliver committed capacity.
Leased lines normally provide symmetrical speeds, meaning the upload and download performance is the same.
This can be useful for organisations that:
- Depend heavily on cloud systems
- Have many employees at one location
- Transfer large files
- Run cloud-based telephone services
- Need strong service commitments
- Require consistent performance
- Cannot tolerate lengthy outages
- Host services from their premises
A leased line usually costs more than business broadband and may take longer to install.
It is not automatically the right choice for every organisation.
We compare the cost against the operational risk and performance requirements.
Backup internet and automatic failover
What happens if your main internet connection fails?
Could your employees continue working?
Would your hosted telephone system remain available?
Could customers still reach your services?
A backup connection can help maintain operations while the primary service is restored.
Options may include:
- A second broadband connection
- A connection from another provider
- 4G backup
- 5G backup
- Automatic router failover
- Temporary connectivity
- A secondary leased line
- Mobile data for critical users
The backup service should not simply duplicate the same risks as the main connection.
Where possible, we consider:
- Different providers
- Different network routes
- Different technologies
- Separate entry points
- Automatic failover
- Regular testing
- Router resilience
- Power protection
A backup service that has never been tested may not work when it is needed.
Managed business Wi-Fi
Good Wi-Fi is not created by placing a few access points around an office and hoping for the best.
The design needs to consider:
- Building size
- Walls and construction
- Number of users
- Devices
- Meeting rooms
- Guest access
- Voice and video use
- Security
- Coverage
- Capacity
- Interference
- Future growth
Poorly designed Wi-Fi can lead to:
- Dead zones
- Dropped calls
- Slow connections
- Unreliable meeting-room technology
- Overloaded access points
- Security weaknesses
- Inconsistent performance
- Employees creating their own hotspots
Stratiis can design and manage a secure wireless environment for employees and visitors.
This may include:
- Wireless surveys
- Access point planning
- Secure employee networks
- Separate guest access
- Network segmentation
- Cloud management
- Performance monitoring
- Multi-site Wi-Fi
- Equipment installation
- Ongoing support
Multi-site connectivity
Organisations with several offices or operational locations often end up with a mixture of providers, equipment and contracts.
One site may have fast fibre.
Another may rely on older broadband.
A third may have separate Wi-Fi and firewall support.
This can create inconsistent performance and make faults difficult to resolve.
Stratiis can help bring multiple locations into one more manageable environment.
This may include:
- Standardised internet services
- Managed routers
- Managed firewalls
- Secure site-to-site access
- SD-WAN
- Centralised network management
- Shared security policies
- Resilient connectivity
- Cloud-managed Wi-Fi
- Centralised monitoring
- One support route
SD-WAN
Software-Defined Wide Area Networking, or SD-WAN, can help organisations manage connectivity across several sites.
It can use multiple connections and apply centralised policies to decide how traffic moves between offices, cloud systems and the internet.
SD-WAN may help with:
- Multiple locations
- Connection resilience
- Application performance
- Cloud access
- Centralised management
- Network visibility
- Faster site deployment
- Reduced dependence on traditional private networks
SD-WAN is not required by every multi-site organisation.
We assess whether the additional control and resilience justify the cost and complexity.
Secure remote access
Employees need to connect securely to business systems when working away from the office.
Depending on the systems involved, this may include:
- Cloud applications
- Virtual private networks
- Remote desktops
- Zero-trust access
- Microsoft 365
- Secure web gateways
- Identity controls
- Multi-factor authentication
Remote access should be designed around the application and security requirement.
It should not rely on an old remote-access solution simply because it has always been there.
Managed routers and firewalls
The internet service is only one part of the connection.
Your router and firewall control how traffic enters and leaves the organisation.
Poorly configured or unsupported equipment can affect:
- Security
- Performance
- Hosted Voice
- Remote access
- Wi-Fi
- Cloud applications
- Failover
- Monitoring
Stratiis can supply, configure and manage business-grade network equipment as part of the wider service.
This may include:
- Security updates
- Configuration backups
- Performance monitoring
- Failover management
- Firewall rules
- Supplier coordination
- Replacement planning
- Incident support
Temporary and rapid-deployment connectivity
Some organisations need connectivity before a fixed service can be installed.
This may happen during:
- Office moves
- New site openings
- Construction projects
- Temporary premises
- Events
- Leased-line installations
- Emergency relocations
- Network failures
Temporary connectivity may use:
- 4G routers
- 5G routers
- Mobile data
- Temporary broadband
- Pre-configured network equipment
The service should be matched to the expected number of users and applications.
A temporary connection may support email and basic systems but struggle with heavy video or large file transfers.
Business broadband or leased line?
This is one of the most common connectivity questions.
Business broadband may be suitable when:
- Cost is an important consideration
- The organisation is relatively small
- Usage is moderate
- Full fibre is available
- Short interruptions can be tolerated
- A backup connection is in place
- Applications are not highly bandwidth-intensive
A leased line may be suitable when:
- Connectivity is business-critical
- Consistent performance matters
- Upload speed is important
- Many employees share one connection
- Large files are regularly transferred
- Hosted Voice is heavily used
- Stronger service commitments are required
- Downtime would have a significant impact
The choice should not be based only on speed.
A fast broadband service may still have different support, repair and performance commitments from a leased line.
We help you compare the complete service rather than just the headline number.
How much internet speed does your business need?
There is no single answer.
The required speed depends on:
- Number of users
- Cloud applications
- Video meetings
- Hosted Voice
- File sizes
- Backup traffic
- Remote access
- Guest Wi-Fi
- Customer systems
- Software updates
- Growth plans
A connection may appear fast enough on paper but still perform poorly if the network is congested or badly designed.
We also consider upload speed.
Many services advertise download speed more prominently, but upload performance matters for:
- Video calls
- Cloud backups
- Sending large files
- Hosted systems
- Remote access
- Online collaboration
- CCTV uploads
The aim is not to buy the fastest available connection.
The aim is to provide enough capacity, resilience and support for the organisation.
Connectivity and key business systems
Connectivity and Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams depends on stable internet and network performance.
Problems may appear as:
- Frozen video
- Delayed sound
- Dropped calls
- Robotic audio
- Slow screen sharing
- Difficulty joining meetings
- Poor meeting-room performance
These issues may be blamed on Microsoft Teams when the real cause is:
- Wi-Fi interference
- Internet congestion
- Packet loss
- Router problems
- Weak home connections
- Old network switches
- Poor cabling
- Insufficient upload capacity
Stratiis can investigate the complete environment rather than looking at Teams in isolation.
Connectivity and Hosted Voice
Hosted Voice depends on the quality and stability of the internet connection.
Voice calls do not always use large amounts of bandwidth, but they are sensitive to disruption.
Call quality can be affected by:
- Delay
- Packet loss
- Jitter
- Congestion
- Weak Wi-Fi
- Router performance
- Firewall configuration
- Local network faults
Before installing Hosted Voice, we assess whether the connection and network are ready.
This reduces the risk of moving to a new telephone system and discovering that the underlying infrastructure cannot support it.
Connectivity and cybersecurity
Connectivity and security cannot be separated.
Every internet connection creates a route between your organisation and the outside world.
A secure design may include:
- Managed firewalls
- Web filtering
- DNS filtering
- Secure Wi-Fi
- Network segmentation
- Intrusion prevention
- Secure remote access
- Multi-factor authentication
- Device compliance
- Logging and monitoring
- Regular updates
- Restricted administrator access
Guest devices, employee devices, servers and business-critical equipment should not automatically share the same unrestricted network.
We can work with your wider cybersecurity strategy to create sensible separation and controls.
Connectivity and business continuity
A business continuity plan should not assume that the internet will always be available.
You should understand:
- Which systems depend on connectivity
- Which services become unavailable during an outage
- How long the business can tolerate disruption
- Which users are most critical
- Whether phones will continue working
- Whether alternative locations are available
- How calls will be redirected
- Whether backup connections switch automatically
- How the backup service is tested
- Who contacts the provider
- How employees are informed
Different organisations need different levels of resilience.
A short outage may be inconvenient for one business and operationally critical for another.
We recommend controls that reflect the real impact.
The benefits of managed business connectivity
One support route
When Stratiis manages the connection, network and related services, you have one place to report a problem.
We can investigate across the wider environment rather than stopping at one supplier boundary.
Better fault ownership
Connectivity faults can involve several components:
- The provider network
- Local cabling
- The router
- Firewall rules
- Wi-Fi
- Devices
- Cloud applications
- Telephone platforms
We help identify where the problem actually sits and coordinate with other suppliers where required.
Improved resilience
We can identify single points of failure and recommend suitable backup arrangements.
More consistent performance
Managed equipment, monitoring and capacity planning can reduce recurring connectivity problems.
Better support for cloud services
The connection can be designed around Microsoft 365, Hosted Voice, backups, remote access and other important systems.
Centralised management
Multi-site organisations can gain better visibility and more consistent standards across locations.
Clearer planning
We can help you plan for growth, office moves, new sites, cloud projects and communications changes.
What are the risks of choosing the wrong connectivity?
Buying on headline speed alone
The fastest advertised service may not provide the support, upload performance or resilience your business needs.
Depending on one connection
A single internet service may create a serious point of failure.
Using the same route for primary and backup connections
Two services may appear separate while still sharing the same underlying network or building entry point.
Ignoring Wi-Fi
A strong internet connection cannot compensate for badly designed wireless coverage.
Forgetting upload requirements
Cloud backups, video calls and remote access can all depend heavily on upload performance.
Installing cloud phones before checking the network
Hosted Voice may perform badly when the local network is not ready.
Keeping unsupported network equipment
Old routers, firewalls and switches can create performance and security problems.
Having no clear fault process
During an outage, employees should know who to contact and what temporary steps to take.
Failing to test backup services
A backup connection is only valuable when it works during a real failure.
Business connectivity for different sectors
Accountancy firms
Accountancy practices depend on secure access to client records, cloud accounting systems, email and Microsoft 365.
Connectivity can support:
- Hybrid working
- Cloud accounting applications
- Secure client communication
- Microsoft Teams
- Large document transfers
- Hosted Voice
- Data backups
- Multi-office working
- Business continuity
Housing associations
Housing associations may need to connect offices, remote employees, customer-service teams and operational sites.
Connectivity can support:
- Tenant contact services
- Repairs teams
- Microsoft 365
- Mobile working
- Cloud housing systems
- Hosted telephone services
- Multi-site networks
- Managed Wi-Fi
- Backup connections
- Community and office locations
Charities
Charities often need to balance reliability with tight budgets.
Business connectivity can support:
- Remote and part-time workers
- Cloud applications
- Microsoft 365
- Several offices
- Community locations
- Guest access
- Hosted Voice
- Secure Wi-Fi
- Business continuity
We help charities focus spending on the services that matter most.
Professional services firms
Professional services organisations need reliable access to cloud systems and client communication.
Connectivity can support:
- Hybrid employees
- Microsoft Teams
- Hosted Voice
- Secure remote access
- Large document transfers
- Client portals
- Multi-office working
- Backup internet
Multi-site organisations
Businesses with several locations benefit from consistent standards and centralised support.
This may include:
- Standardised circuits
- Shared security policies
- Managed routers
- Cloud-managed Wi-Fi
- SD-WAN
- Backup connectivity
- Central monitoring
- One support partner
What should you look for in a business connectivity provider?
A provider that asks about your business
They should understand:
- Number of employees
- Locations
- Applications
- Cloud services
- Telephone systems
- Working patterns
- Security
- Resilience
- Growth plans
- Budget
A connection should not be recommended based only on the postcode.
Clear service information
You should understand:
- Expected speed
- Upload and download performance
- Contract term
- Installation timescale
- Support hours
- Repair targets
- Equipment included
- Static IP availability
- Usage limits
- Backup options
- Early termination terms
Network and security knowledge
The provider should understand how routers, firewalls, Wi-Fi, cloud systems and telephone services interact.
Fault ownership
Find out who investigates when the service becomes slow or unavailable.
The provider should not simply ask you to contact every supplier yourself.
Resilience planning
A good provider should ask what happens when the primary service fails.
Ongoing reviews
Connectivity requirements change as the business grows and adopts new systems.
The service should be reviewed rather than left unchanged for years.
Our business connectivity process
1
Discovery
We start by understanding how your organisation uses connectivity.
We review:
- Employees
- Locations
- Internet services
- Cloud applications
- Hosted Voice
- Microsoft Teams
- Remote access
- Wi-Fi
- Network equipment
- Security
- Business continuity
- Current contracts
- Growth plans
2
Connectivity audit
We identify problems and risks such as:
- Slow performance
- Unstable services
- Poor Wi-Fi coverage
- Unsupported equipment
- No backup connection
- Inconsistent multi-site services
- Unused circuits
- Expensive legacy contracts
- Single points of failure
- Limited monitoring
- Poor fault ownership
3
Solution design
We recommend the right combination of services.
This may include:
- Business broadband
- Full fibre
- Leased lines
- Backup internet
- 4G or 5G failover
- Managed routers
- Managed firewalls
- Managed Wi-Fi
- SD-WAN
- Secure remote access
- Multi-site connectivity
- Network monitoring
4
Availability and cost review
We check which services are available at each location and compare:
- Installation cost
- Monthly cost
- Speed
- Lead time
- Service levels
- Resilience
- Contract term
- Provider coverage
We explain the trade-offs before you commit.
5
Installation planning
We coordinate:
- Site surveys
- Provider appointments
- Equipment delivery
- Cabling
- Router configuration
- Firewall configuration
- Wi-Fi installation
- Testing
- Service migration
- Temporary connectivity
- Supplier communication
6
Testing and go-live
We test the service before relying on it.
This may include:
- Internet access
- Upload and download performance
- Cloud applications
- Microsoft Teams
- Hosted Voice
- Wi-Fi coverage
- Remote access
- Failover
- Firewall rules
- Monitoring
7
Ongoing support and monitoring
Stratiis can continue to manage the environment after installation.
This may include:
- Fault management
- Provider escalation
- Router monitoring
- Firewall management
- Wi-Fi support
- Performance reviews
- Capacity planning
- Security updates
- Backup testing
- Contract reviews
- New-site planning
Frequently asked questions
How much does business connectivity cost?
The cost depends on:
- Service type
- Location
- Speed
- Provider
- Contract term
- Installation work
- Router and firewall requirements
- Backup connectivity
- Wi-Fi
- Number of sites
- Support level
Business broadband may cost less than a leased line, but the cheapest service may not provide the resilience or support your organisation needs.
What is the difference between business and home broadband?
Business broadband may provide features such as:
- Business support
- Static IP addresses
- Different repair commitments
- Business-grade routers
- Enhanced monitoring
- Better upload options
- Managed support
- Backup services
The exact difference depends on the provider and package.
What is a leased line?
A leased line is a dedicated internet connection for your organisation.
It normally provides symmetrical upload and download speeds and stronger service commitments than standard broadband.
Does every business need a leased line?
No.
Many organisations can work effectively using high-quality business broadband, especially when suitable backup connectivity is in place.
The choice should be based on risk, performance and budget.
How much internet speed does our business need?
The answer depends on the number of users, applications, video meetings, cloud services, file transfers and backup traffic.
We assess actual usage and future growth rather than recommending a speed in isolation.
Do we need backup internet?
Backup internet is worth considering when an outage would stop employees working, interrupt calls or prevent customers accessing services.
The appropriate backup may range from 4G failover to a second fixed connection.
Can backup internet switch over automatically?
Yes, when the router and services are configured correctly.
Automatic failover should be tested regularly.
Can you improve our office Wi-Fi?
Yes.
We can assess coverage, capacity, interference, access point placement and security before recommending improvements.
Can you connect several offices?
Yes.
We can help manage connectivity, security, Wi-Fi and network access across several sites.
What is SD-WAN?
SD-WAN is a way of centrally managing connectivity across multiple locations and connections.
It can help improve resilience, visibility and cloud access.
It is not required by every organisation.
Will better broadband improve Teams calls?
It may help, but speed is not the only factor.
Wi-Fi, packet loss, network congestion, routers and firewall settings can also affect call quality.
Can Stratiis supply connectivity and Hosted Voice?
Yes.
We can manage connectivity, Hosted Voice, Microsoft Teams Phone, networks and support as one joined-up service.
How long does a leased line take to install?
Installation times vary depending on the location, provider, surveys, permissions and construction work required.
Leased lines normally take longer to install than standard broadband.
Temporary connectivity may be used while the permanent service is being delivered.
Can we keep working during an office move?
With suitable planning, temporary connectivity, cloud services and call routing can help reduce disruption during a move.
What happens when the internet goes down?
The impact depends on your systems and continuity plan.
Cloud applications, Teams, Hosted Voice and remote access may be affected.
Backup connectivity, mobile data and alternative working arrangements can help maintain service.
Build your business on a stronger connection
Your internet connection supports almost every part of modern working.
It should not be treated as a commodity or chosen only on headline speed.
The right solution should reflect your users, cloud systems, telephone services, locations, security requirements and tolerance for downtime.
Stratiis can help you choose, install and manage business connectivity that supports the way your organisation works today and where it plans to go next.
Let's review your current connection, identify the risks and determine whether you have the right performance and resilience.
