Reliable internet connectivity for the way your business works
Your internet connection now supports far more than web browsing and email.
It may carry:
- Microsoft Teams meetings
- Hosted Voice calls
- Cloud applications
- Microsoft 365
- Customer systems
- Remote access
- Backups
- Security tools
- Payment services
- Wi-Fi
- Video conferencing
- Connected devices
When broadband works well, most employees barely think about it.
When it slows down or stops, work can come to a halt.
Calls break up. Cloud applications become unresponsive. Customers cannot reach you. Employees lose access to important systems, and your IT team is left trying to determine whether the problem sits with the router, local network, broadband provider or cloud platform.
Stratiis helps organisations choose, install and manage business broadband based on how important connectivity is to their operations.
The right connection. Properly configured. Supported by people who understand the rest of your technology.
Is your current broadband still fit for your business?
A broadband service that was suitable several years ago may no longer support the way your organisation works today.
You may have added:
- More employees
- Cloud applications
- Microsoft Teams
- Hosted Voice
- Remote workers
- Video meetings
- Cloud backups
- Security cameras
- Customer Wi-Fi
- Additional offices
- Connected devices
The broadband connection may not have changed.
You may recognise some of these problems:
- Video meetings regularly freeze
- Teams calls break up
- Cloud applications feel slow
- Uploads take too long
- Employees lose connection during busy periods
- Wi-Fi is blamed for every internet issue
- The router needs to be restarted repeatedly
- Support is passed between several suppliers
- Nobody knows the guaranteed repair time
- Broadband speed is lower than expected
- The service has no backup
- Employees use mobile hotspots during outages
- Remote access becomes unreliable
- Voice calls are affected when backups run
- Different offices have inconsistent services
- Contract and renewal dates are unclear
These problems may be caused by the broadband service, the local network or a combination of both.
We assess the complete environment rather than assuming a faster headline speed will solve everything.
What is business broadband?
Business broadband is an internet service intended for commercial use.
It may provide additional features compared with a standard residential service, such as:
- Business support
- Improved fault response
- Static IP addresses
- Managed routers
- Usage monitoring
- Security options
- Service-level commitments
- Better upload performance
- Multiple IP addresses
- Backup connectivity
- Provider escalation
- Installation coordination
The exact features vary between providers and products.
The word "business" in the product name does not guarantee that the service is suitable for a business that depends heavily on cloud systems or customer communications.
The connection needs to be assessed against the impact of an outage.
Business broadband or residential broadband?
Some small organisations use residential-style broadband because it appears cheaper and offers a similar advertised download speed.
The headline speed may be similar.
The service around it may be very different.
Residential broadband may provide:
Residential broadband may provide:
- Lower monthly cost
- High advertised download speeds
- Simple installation
- Suitable performance for light use
However, it may also involve:
- Consumer support processes
- Longer or less predictable repair times
- Limited escalation
- No static IP address
- No managed router
- No meaningful service commitment
- Lower upload performance
- Fewer resilience options
A residential service may be adequate for a very small, low-dependency business.
It may be a poor choice where the organisation depends on:
- Cloud telephony
- Customer-service systems
- Payment services
- Video conferencing
- Remote access
- Online bookings
- Cloud applications
- Several employees working simultaneously
The correct comparison is not only monthly price.
It is the cost of the disruption when the connection fails.
Types of business broadband
Full Fibre broadband
Full Fibre, often known as Fibre to the Premises or FTTP, uses fibre-optic cabling to deliver the connection directly to the building or premises.
It can provide:
- Higher download speeds
- Improved upload speeds
- Lower delay
- Greater capacity
- More consistent performance
- A stronger foundation for cloud services
- Less dependence on older copper infrastructure
Full Fibre may be suitable for:
- Small and medium-sized offices
- Cloud-based organisations
- Hybrid teams
- Microsoft Teams
- Hosted Voice
- Video conferencing
- Multi-user environments
- Sites where a leased line is not justified
Availability varies by location.
The actual business service also depends on the provider, package, router, support and fault response.
SoGEA broadband
SoGEA stands for Single Order Generic Ethernet Access.
It provides broadband without a traditional analogue telephone service.
It is commonly used as a replacement for older broadband services that were tied to a telephone line.
SoGEA may be suitable where:
- Full Fibre is not available
- The site still needs fixed business broadband
- Traditional telephone service is no longer required
- The organisation is moving away from legacy PSTN services
- A faster leased line is not justified
The final part of the connection may still use copper infrastructure, which can limit speed and performance compared with Full Fibre.
Fibre to the Cabinet
Fibre to the Cabinet, often shortened to FTTC, uses fibre to a local street cabinet and copper cabling for the final connection to the premises.
It may still be used at locations where Full Fibre is not yet available.
Performance depends on factors including:
- Distance from the cabinet
- Cable condition
- Local demand
- Building wiring
- Provider capacity
FTTC can support many standard business activities.
It may be unsuitable for organisations with heavy upload use, high call volumes or a strong dependence on cloud applications.
Fibre to the Premises
Fibre to the Premises is another name commonly used for Full Fibre.
The fibre connection reaches the premises directly rather than relying on copper for the final section.
This can provide more capacity and improved performance compared with older broadband technologies.
Dedicated internet access
Dedicated internet access provides internet capacity reserved for your organisation rather than shared in the same way as standard broadband.
A leased line is a common example.
It may provide:
- Symmetrical speeds
- Guaranteed bandwidth
- Stronger service levels
- Faster repair targets
- Greater consistency
- Higher capacity
- Better support for critical services
Dedicated connectivity normally costs more and may take longer to install.
Mobile business broadband
4G or 5G broadband uses a mobile network rather than a fixed line.
It may be used for:
- Temporary offices
- Remote sites
- Events
- New premises waiting for installation
- Backup internet
- Small branch offices
- Construction locations
- Emergency connectivity
Performance depends on:
- Local coverage
- Signal strength
- Building materials
- Network congestion
- Router quality
- Antenna placement
- Data allowance
Mobile broadband can be useful, but it should be tested at the actual location.
Download speed and upload speed
Broadband services are often marketed mainly by download speed.
Download speed affects how quickly your organisation can receive information, including:
Download speed affects:
- Websites
- Cloud applications
- Video streams
- Software updates
- Files
- Email attachments
Upload speed affects:
- Video meetings
- Hosted Voice
- Cloud backups
- File uploads
- Remote access
- CCTV
- Customer-system updates
Upload performance is especially important for cloud-based organisations.
A service with a high download speed but limited upload capacity may struggle when several employees use video conferencing or cloud backups at the same time.
What broadband speed does a business need?
There is no single correct speed for every business.
The requirement depends on:
- Number of employees
- Number of locations
- Cloud applications
- Video-meeting use
- Hosted Voice
- Microsoft Teams
- File sizes
- Cloud backups
- CCTV
- Guest Wi-Fi
- Remote access
- Connected devices
- Expected growth
A small office using email and cloud documents may need less capacity than a similar-sized organisation running frequent video meetings, cloud voice and large file transfers.
The service should also have enough capacity for busy periods.
A connection that performs well early in the morning may slow significantly when every employee is online.
Why headline speed is not the full story
Two broadband services with the same advertised speed can provide very different experiences.
Performance can be affected by:
- Shared network capacity
- Distance
- Local cabling
- Provider congestion
- Router performance
- Wi-Fi
- Network switches
- Firewall configuration
- Packet loss
- Delay
- Jitter
- Application behaviour
- Upload limits
A speed test measures performance at one moment.
It does not automatically show:
- How stable the connection is
- Whether voice traffic is delayed
- Whether packet loss occurs
- How the service performs at busy times
- Whether the router is overloaded
- Whether the Wi-Fi is the actual problem
We consider the quality and consistency of the connection, not only the maximum download figure.
Contention and shared bandwidth
Many broadband services use shared provider infrastructure.
This means the available capacity may be used by several customers.
During busy periods, performance can change.
This is often described through the idea of contention.
For many businesses, a shared broadband service provides good value and adequate performance.
For organisations with highly critical or consistent bandwidth requirements, dedicated connectivity may be more appropriate.
The decision should reflect:
- Business impact
- Budget
- Application requirements
- Number of users
- Acceptable variation
- Availability of backup services
Symmetrical and asymmetrical broadband
Asymmetrical broadband
Asymmetrical services provide a faster download speed than upload speed.
This is common with standard broadband.
It may be suitable for organisations mainly consuming online content and using moderate cloud services.
Symmetrical connectivity
Symmetrical services provide the same or similar download and upload speeds.
This may be valuable for:
- Video conferencing
- Cloud backups
- Hosted applications
- Large file uploads
- Remote working
- Customer portals
- CCTV
- Several cloud users
Leased lines commonly provide symmetrical speeds.
Some Full Fibre business products may also offer improved or symmetrical options, depending on availability and provider.
Broadband and your business systems
Static IP addresses
An IP address identifies an internet connection.
A static IP address remains consistent rather than changing periodically.
Your business may need a static IP for:
- Secure remote access
- VPNs
- Firewall restrictions
- Approved cloud access
- Hosted services
- Remote monitoring
- CCTV
- Specialist applications
- Email or security configuration
Not every business needs one.
Publicly exposing devices or services through a static IP can create security risks.
Where possible, remote access should use secure managed methods rather than opening unnecessary ports to the internet.
Managed business routers
The router connects your internal network to the broadband service.
It can affect:
- Reliability
- Security
- Wi-Fi
- Voice quality
- Remote access
- Failover
- Traffic control
- Monitoring
- Fault diagnosis
A managed business router may provide:
- Firewall controls
- Usage monitoring
- Remote support
- Automatic updates
- VPN capability
- Multiple internet connections
- 4G or 5G failover
- Network segmentation
- Quality of Service
- Secure configuration
- Performance information
A fast broadband service can still perform poorly through an unsuitable or badly configured router.
Broadband and business firewalls
A firewall controls traffic entering and leaving the business network.
It helps protect:
- Employee devices
- Servers
- Cloud access
- Customer systems
- Connected devices
- Remote access
A business firewall may provide:
- Security filtering
- Threat prevention
- VPNs
- Application control
- Web filtering
- Network segmentation
- Access logging
- Intrusion prevention
- Multi-connection failover
The broadband service and firewall should be designed together.
Installing a new connection without checking firewall capacity may limit performance or create security gaps.
Broadband and Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams depends on stable internet and network performance.
Problems may appear as:
- Frozen video
- Delayed speech
- Robotic audio
- Dropped meetings
- Slow content sharing
- Calls reconnecting
- Poor remote participation
These may be caused by:
- Limited upload capacity
- Packet loss
- Delay
- Wi-Fi
- Local congestion
- Firewall inspection
- Old network equipment
- Home connections
- Provider issues
A Teams problem is not always a Microsoft problem.
Stratiis can investigate the complete path from device and Wi-Fi through to the internet service.
Broadband and Hosted Voice
Hosted Voice calls travel across an IP connection.
Voice traffic uses relatively little bandwidth, but it is sensitive to instability.
Poor broadband can cause:
- Broken audio
- One-way sound
- Delayed speech
- Dropped calls
- Failed registration
- Inconsistent call quality
The connection should be assessed for:
- Packet loss
- Delay
- Jitter
- Upload capacity
- Router performance
- Firewall rules
- Backup connectivity
- Traffic prioritisation
Broadband and video conferencing
Video conferencing places greater demands on connectivity than ordinary web use.
The service needs enough capacity for:
- Camera video
- Incoming participant video
- Audio
- Shared content
- Recording
- Several simultaneous meetings
Performance can deteriorate when:
- Many people join video meetings
- Cloud backups run at the same time
- Guest Wi-Fi uses excessive bandwidth
- The upload connection is limited
- The router cannot handle the traffic
- Employees rely on weak Wi-Fi
Broadband and cloud applications
Modern organisations may use cloud systems for:
- Finance
- CRM
- Housing management
- Case management
- Document storage
- Payroll
- Project management
- Customer service
- Backups
- Security
Without internet access, employees may lose access to most of the tools required for work.
This makes the broadband service part of the organisation's core infrastructure.
The more applications move to the cloud, the more important connectivity and continuity become.
Broadband and cloud backup
Cloud backup can use significant upload capacity.
This is particularly true when:
- Large amounts of data change
- A new backup begins
- Several servers are protected
- The first full backup is running
- Restored data needs downloaded
- Backups overlap with working hours
Poorly scheduled backups may affect calls and video meetings.
The solution may require:
- Better upload capacity
- Traffic management
- Off-hours scheduling
- A dedicated service
- Backup monitoring
Broadband and customer Wi-Fi
Guest or customer Wi-Fi can consume capacity needed for business applications.
A managed design should consider:
- Separate guest networks
- Usage limits
- Content controls
- Security
- Customer terms
- Bandwidth allocation
- Network isolation
- Logging
- Capacity
Guest users should not share unrestricted access to the internal business network.
Broadband for remote and hybrid workers
Remote employees rely on home or mobile connections.
Problems may be caused by:
- Weak home Wi-Fi
- Household congestion
- Limited upload speed
- Old routers
- Poor mobile coverage
- Shared workspaces
- Local provider faults
The business may not control every home connection.
It can still provide:
- Minimum connectivity guidance
- Approved headsets and devices
- Secure remote access
- Mobile backup options
- Support processes
- Alternative workplace arrangements
- Business mobile data
Critical employees may need stronger backup arrangements than occasional home workers.
Broadband for several offices
Organisations with multiple locations may have a mixture of:
- Full Fibre
- FTTC
- SoGEA
- Leased lines
- Mobile broadband
- Different providers
- Different routers
- Different support contracts
This can create inconsistent performance and difficult fault management.
A more standardised approach may provide:
- Central service records
- Common router standards
- Consistent support
- Shared security policies
- Clear renewal dates
- Central monitoring
- Planned failover
- Easier site openings and closures
Not every site needs the same connection.
A small branch office may have different requirements from the head office or contact centre.
Broadband for new offices
Broadband installation should be planned early during an office move.
Lead times can vary significantly.
The new site may need:
- Full Fibre
- A leased line
- Temporary mobile broadband
- A managed router
- Wi-Fi
- Structured cabling
- Static IP addresses
- Internet failover
- Firewall changes
- Number and phone migration
A business should not assume that an existing service can simply be transferred to a new address.
Temporary connectivity may be required while the permanent service is installed.
Broadband resilience
A single internet connection can become a major business risk.
If that one service fails, the organisation may lose:
- Cloud applications
- Telephone service
- Customer systems
- Payment access
- Remote working
- Website management
- Security monitoring
Resilience may include:
- A second fixed broadband service
- A leased line with backup broadband
- 4G or 5G failover
- Different network providers
- Automatic router failover
- Alternative call routing
- Another office
- Mobile working
The backup service should avoid sharing the same likely point of failure where possible.
Why a second line may not provide true resilience
Two internet services do not automatically provide independent backup.
They may still:
- Use the same local duct
- Enter the building through the same route
- Depend on the same exchange
- Use the same network provider
- Terminate in the same cabinet
- Depend on the same power supply
A resilient design should consider the full path.
For critical sites, it may be appropriate to use:
- Different technologies
- Different providers
- Different physical routes
- Fixed and mobile connectivity
- Separate building entry points
What happens during a broadband outage?
The first step is to identify where the fault sits.
Possible causes include:
- Provider outage
- Damaged external cable
- Router failure
- Firewall failure
- Network-switch problem
- Power cut
- Internal cabling
- Wi-Fi
- DNS
- Cloud platform issue
A managed support process can help:
- Confirm which users and services are affected
- Check local equipment
- Review monitoring
- Test the provider connection
- Activate or confirm failover
- Escalate to the correct supplier
- Provide business updates
- Monitor repair progress
- Confirm full restoration
- Review whether resilience worked
When several suppliers are involved, clear ownership matters.
Business broadband for different sectors
Accountancy firms
Accountancy firms depend on internet access for:
- Cloud accounting systems
- Microsoft 365
- Client portals
- Payroll
- Tax applications
- Video meetings
- Remote working
- Secure file exchange
- Hosted Voice
A broadband outage during payroll, tax deadlines or client work can create significant pressure.
Accountancy firms should consider:
- Reliable upload performance
- Business-grade support
- Backup connectivity
- Firewall security
- Client confidentiality
- Multi-office consistency
Housing associations
Housing associations may depend on connectivity for:
- Housing-management systems
- Repairs services
- Tenant contact
- Microsoft Teams
- Contact centres
- Contractor systems
- Remote offices
- Community sites
- CCTV
- Connected building services
Different locations may need different levels of resilience.
A head office or customer-contact centre may require a leased line with failover.
A small community office may be adequately served by Full Fibre business broadband with mobile backup.
Charities
Charities may need to balance cost with operational resilience.
They may use internet access for:
- Cloud applications
- Donor systems
- Microsoft 365
- Service-user communication
- Hybrid working
- Video meetings
- Volunteer coordination
- Community locations
The lowest monthly price may not provide suitable support or repair.
The service should be selected according to the impact on beneficiaries, employees and operations.
Professional services
Professional services organisations may require:
- Reliable cloud access
- Secure client communications
- High-quality video meetings
- Hosted Voice
- Remote working
- Fast file transfer
- Multi-office collaboration
- Business continuity
Professional client meetings can be affected quickly by poor broadband performance.
Construction and remote sites
Construction and temporary locations may need:
- 4G or 5G routers
- Temporary Wi-Fi
- Site-office connectivity
- CCTV connectivity
- Cloud application access
- Hosted Voice
- Mobile devices
- External antennas
The service should be designed for:
- Changing locations
- Weak signal
- Dust and weather
- Limited power
- High data use
- Security
- Rapid deployment
Our business broadband process
1
Discovery
We begin by understanding:
- Number of users
- Locations
- Cloud applications
- Microsoft Teams
- Hosted Voice
- Video conferencing
- File usage
- Backups
- Remote working
- Guest Wi-Fi
- Security
- Current problems
- Business impact of an outage
- Growth plans
2
Existing service audit
We review:
- Current provider
- Broadband technology
- Download and upload performance
- Router
- Firewall
- Static IPs
- Contracts
- Renewal dates
- Support
- Outages
- Backup services
- Usage
- Known dependencies
3
Availability check
We assess available options such as:
- Full Fibre
- SoGEA
- FTTC
- Business broadband
- Leased lines
- 4G
- 5G
- Alternative providers
- Backup connectivity
4
Network assessment
We review:
- Router performance
- Firewall capacity
- Network switches
- Wi-Fi
- Structured cabling
- Voice traffic
- Video traffic
- Backup traffic
- Network segmentation
- Power protection
5
Solution design
We recommend an appropriate combination of:
- Primary broadband
- Managed router
- Firewall
- Static IPs
- Mobile failover
- Secondary connection
- Monitoring
- Security filtering
- Network improvements
- Wi-Fi changes
We explain what is essential and what is optional.
6
Ordering and installation
We coordinate:
- Provider orders
- Site surveys
- Engineer visits
- Router delivery
- Cabling requirements
- Building access
- Number and service dependencies
- Temporary connectivity
- Installation dates
7
Configuration
We configure:
- Router
- Firewall
- Static addressing
- Network access
- VPNs
- Failover
- Traffic controls
- Security
- Monitoring
- DNS
- Remote support
8
Testing
Testing may include:
- Download and upload performance
- Stability
- Packet loss
- Microsoft Teams
- Hosted Voice
- Video conferencing
- Cloud applications
- VPN access
- Wi-Fi
- Failover
- Static IP services
- Firewall performance
9
Migration
Where the new service replaces an existing connection, we plan:
- Cutover timing
- Router changes
- Firewall changes
- Static IP updates
- Provider cancellation
- User communication
- Rollback
- Support coverage
The old service should not be cancelled until the replacement is operational and dependencies have been checked.
10
Ongoing support and review
Stratiis can continue to support:
- Broadband faults
- Provider escalation
- Router problems
- Firewall issues
- Performance
- Monitoring
- Failover
- Office moves
- New sites
- Contract reviews
- Capacity increases
- Cloud and voice investigations
Frequently asked questions
What is business broadband?
Business broadband is an internet connection intended for commercial use, often with business support, static IP options, managed equipment and stronger fault handling.
What is the difference between business and home broadband?
Business broadband may provide improved support, static IP addresses, managed routers, monitoring and stronger service commitments.
The exact differences depend on the provider.
What is Full Fibre broadband?
Full Fibre uses fibre-optic cabling to deliver the connection directly to the premises.
It is also known as Fibre to the Premises or FTTP.
What is SoGEA?
SoGEA provides broadband without a traditional analogue telephone line.
It is commonly used where Full Fibre is not yet available.
What is FTTC?
Fibre to the Cabinet uses fibre to a street cabinet and copper for the final connection to the premises.
How fast should our business broadband be?
The required speed depends on users, applications, video meetings, cloud systems, voice, backups and growth.
Upload capacity and stability matter as much as download speed.
Is 100 Mbps enough for a business?
It may be enough for some small organisations.
The answer depends on the number of users, upload speed, applications and simultaneous activity.
Why is our broadband slow even though the speed test looks good?
The issue may involve:
- Wi-Fi
- Packet loss
- Router performance
- Firewall capacity
- Network congestion
- Upload limitations
- Application performance
A speed test does not identify every problem.
Do we need a static IP address?
You may need one for VPNs, approved cloud access, remote systems or specialist applications.
Many ordinary cloud users do not require a static IP.
Can broadband support Hosted Voice?
Yes, when the connection and local network provide suitable stability, upload capacity and low packet loss.
Can broadband support Microsoft Teams?
Yes.
The connection should be assessed for user numbers, video use, upload capacity and local network quality.
What is a managed router?
A managed router is configured, monitored and supported as part of the business service.
It may provide security, VPNs, failover and performance monitoring.
Do we need a leased line?
A leased line may be appropriate when the organisation needs guaranteed capacity, symmetrical speeds, stronger repair targets or greater reliability.
Should we have backup internet?
It should be considered where an outage would stop important business operations.
Can 4G or 5G be used as backup?
Yes.
A managed router can often switch automatically to mobile connectivity.
Coverage and capacity should be tested.
Can 4G or 5G replace fixed broadband?
It can in some locations and temporary situations.
Performance depends on signal, congestion, data allowance and application requirements.
Can we keep our existing router?
Possibly.
It should be assessed for performance, security, support and compatibility with the new connection.
How long does broadband installation take?
Timescales depend on:
- Service type
- Provider
- Building access
- Existing infrastructure
- Surveys
- Construction work
- Local availability
A new leased line normally requires more planning than a standard broadband connection.
What happens to our old broadband service?
It should remain active until the new connection is installed, tested and confirmed operational.
Contract and cancellation terms should be checked.
Can Stratiis support broadband from another provider?
Stratiis may be able to support the local network and coordinate with third-party providers.
The available escalation depends on the provider and support agreement.
Can Stratiis provide broadband, Wi-Fi and security?
Yes.
Stratiis can support business broadband, leased lines, routers, firewalls, managed Wi-Fi, internet failover and wider IT services as one joined-up environment.
Give your business an internet connection it can depend on
Business broadband is no longer a background utility.
It carries the systems your employees use, the calls your customers make and the cloud services your organisation depends on.
The right service is not simply the fastest package available.
It is the connection that provides the capacity, support, security and resilience your business actually needs.
Stratiis can help you review your current broadband, compare the available options and design the router, firewall, Wi-Fi and failover around it.
Let's make sure your internet connection is ready for your people, your cloud systems and your future growth.
