Getting the Internet Right
A 12-part plain language guide to business internet for people who just want their phones to work. Connection types, SLAs, redundancy, and how to choose the right provider.
Your ISP Is the Foundation Everything Else Sits On
Why your internet connection type matters more than the speed number, and the variables that actually affect your business day.
How Internet Connections Actually Work
How data moves from your office to the world: last mile, shared vs. dedicated, packets, equipment, and why upload matters.
DSL: The Connection That Outlived Its Welcome (Sometimes)
DSL runs on aging copper phone lines with low upload speeds and distance limits. Why it struggles for business use, with a few exceptions.
Cable Internet: Fast Until the Neighborhood Wakes Up
Cable internet looks fast on paper, but shared bandwidth, weak upload, and peak-hour congestion cause real VoIP problems.
Fiber Internet: Not All Fiber Is the Same
Shared fiber, dedicated access and a committed-rate DIA contract are three different things. Learn which you are being offered and which you need.
Dedicated Internet Access: What You're Actually Paying For
DIA means a committed information rate, symmetrical speeds, and real SLAs. Who needs it, who does not, and what pricing looks like.
Fixed Wireless: The Dark Horse
Fixed wireless offers licensed spectrum, fast deployment, and last-mile path diversity. A serious business internet option, not just a fallback.
Satellite: The Last Resort (and When It's the Only Resort)
Geostationary satellite adds 500-650ms round-trip latency that cripples VoIP turn-taking. LEO (Starlink) drops to 25-60ms, but consistency and weather remain factors.
SLAs: The Contract Language That Actually Matters
What your ISP SLA promises about uptime, latency, packet loss, and jitter, and how to read the fine print that actually matters.
Redundancy and Failover: When One Connection Isn't Enough
Provider diversity, path diversity, automatic failover, and backup configurations for businesses that cannot afford to go offline.
Reading an ISP Quote: The Questions You Should Be Asking
Hidden costs, misleading speeds, weak SLAs, and auto-renewal traps in ISP quotes. How to evaluate and compare proposals.
How to Actually Choose: Putting It All Together
A practical framework to match your office size and usage to the right connection type, check availability, and compare ISP quotes.