When I heard that broadband had been included as a topic in the Infrastructure Interest Group I was both delighted and a little dismayed. Delighted that the topic of ‘internet access’ and availability was being taken seriously by Nottingham Means Business, for most businesses, robust internet access is as critical as road, rail and air transport! But also somewhat disappointed that we are still referring to internet access colloquially as ‘broadband’. We need to start talking about ‘internet access’, not broadband. There are alternatives to broadband, and in many instances this alternative is going to be much better for any business with more than 4 or 5 employees in the office.
Why? Well, broadband is the common term for ADSL (Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line, for those that really want to know!) The only part of this glorious description you really need to worry about is the asynchronous part. If this method of internet access were a road, it would have ten lanes dedicated to traffic coming to you, and only one or two lanes dedicated to outgoing traffic! Perfect for browsing, streaming and downloading video and music. Not so good for applications such as voice and business applications that require a more even ‘traffic flow’. Having said that broadband is getting faster with Openreach’s roll out of ‘fibre to the cabinet’.
Breaking down the marketing hype, there are two types of broadband service; standard (sometimes called adsl2+) that will provide ‘up to’ 8 megabits per second download and 2 megabits per second upload, and high speed broadband (sometimes referred to as FTTC, superfast etc,) that can be up to ten times faster. Either of these products can be obtained from a whole host of Internet Service Providers (ISP’s) serving the region. If I can use the road analogy again, there may well be further possible congestion or lane mergers where these ISP’s meet the rest of the internet. The speed you can really achieve is entirely dependent upon the network management capability and policy of the ISP offering the service. As with everything in life, you get what you pay for, and if it’s cheap, there’s normally a reason why!
So with this higher speed of broadband have we solved the problem? For some, perhaps, if service is not critical and you can live with an asynchronous service. What should also be borne in mind is that broadband (and high speed broadband) is provided over a standard telephone line. If you experience a fault or loss of service due to the line being faulty, Openreach can take up to 5 days to repair this line!
So what’s the alternative? Direct Internet Access (DIA), provided mainly over fibre connections and offering a synchronous service much better suited to most business applications, is fast becoming the preferred option for many businesses, and is widely available throughout the UK. A fibre bearer will usually provide for speeds of up to 100 megabits per second, although you can acquire and pay for what you need today, say 20 megabits per second. You will often see this referred to as 20/100. 20 megabits is what you are using, 100 megabits is the ‘bearer’ speed you could go to if you need to. You simply move to a higher speed if and when your organisation needs it without the need for additional infrastructure.
Perhaps the most relevant aspect of direct internet access is the improved service levels offered. Most services will carry a four or six hour service repair time, with penalties for the provider if not met. Considerably more reassuring than those offered with ‘broadband’. Yes, it is more expensive, but not prohibitively, and given the critical reliance most businesses have on the internet, no longer a luxury.
For clarity, I have kept it simple and only used the minimum of technical jargon. I’ve also avoided many of the marketing terms that can be misleading and confusing. There are other forms of internet access, 3G, 4G, satellite, cable etc, but for the vast majority of enterprises in the region, the services discussed above represent the only real choice.