When looking for the right internet connection for your customers, there are a few things to consider.
What internet connectivity is available in the location?
Typing a postcode into a proprietary broadband checker will tell you what products and speeds are available but usually only from a single supplier. Look for multi-carrier business broadband and Ethernet checkers if you want to see all the available products in one place. The best ones also have integrated quoting and ordering systems and those for dealers allow you to add your own branding, see your margin share and add links for customers to order online.
What circuit types are available?
The best checkers will bring back multiple circuit types for you to discuss with your customer such as;
ADSL2+ Broadband
ADSL2+ broadband provides speeds of up to 24Mbs downstream and up to 1.4Mbs however speeds of around 16Mbs and 1Mbs are more common. As with previous broadband products ADSL2+ utilises the existing copper cables between the exchange and the premises. Consequently, the available speeds and stability of the service are adversely affected by the distance from the exchange and the environment. That said, ADSL2+ is a significant upgrade in speed and reliability from previous ADSL services.
Fibre Broadband
Fibre to the Cabinet or FTTC is where a fibre cable runs from a BT exchange to a street cabinet that contains the broadband equipment. From here it is linked to premises via the existing BT copper network. This then connects the home or business to the Internet Service Provider’s fibre broadband service.
Ethernet Leased Lines
It is a dedicated internet access available in 1Mb/s to 10Gb/s speeds, suitable for direct access, MPLS VPNs and point to point connections. New Ethernet leased lines based on Fibre to the Cabinet technologies are affordable and quick to install, compared to traditional leased lines.
What will they be using it for?
If the customer is only using the internet for email then ADSL2+ will probably do the job, for access to cloud applications such as telephony or CRM, fibre may be more suitable. If your customer wants dedicated bandwidth they will need to opt for a leased circuit.
For more detailed help and support choosing the right internet connection for your customers, at the best possible price, consider Jola. We are an experienced supplier of internet services for SMEs via a channel of IT & Telecoms companies.
