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By: Greg Davis, CEO of Bigleaf Networks

Most, if not every, business relies on a quick, stable, and consistent internet connection. Your business likely cannot function at its best without it. Unfortunately, even the most advanced technology is not free from potential flaws.

If your internet connection keeps dropping, it can be incredibly frustrating for your employees and customers. Regardless of whether you are using a remote app on your phone or trying to work on your computer in the office, a fast, reliable internet connection can make all the difference.

Why should you care about your company’s internet connectivity, and what are some of the potential problems you may need to address?

Reasons you need a fast, stable Internet connection

You may take your internet connection for granted – up until the moment you’re forced to live without it. In those moments, of course, everyone appreciates their internet. However, there are reasons that aren’t as obvious that it’s imperative to have a fast, stable, and consistent network. Some of the benefits of exceptional internet connectivity for your company include:

• It becomes a part of your brand identity, as employees and customers view your company as reliable.
• It allows you to hire the best talent, as your employees will have an easier time working remotely.
• It could provide you with an extra source of revenue generation, as it opens the door to eCommerce opportunities.
• A stronger internet connection means you can take advantage of the latest technological advances, which allows you to stay ahead of the competition.
• You can optimize mobile apps and services.
• You will meet the rising expectations of employees and customers.

For all these reasons, you must pay close attention to your internet connectivity. What are some of the reasons why your internet connection might not be as fast or reliable as it should be?

My business’s Internet connectivity is poor: the top culprits

There are several reasons why your business internet connectivity might not meet your expectations. Start by identifying the issue causing your business’s lousy connectivity problems. Some of the most common reasons include:

Your plan’s specifications are too low

First, you need to take a look at what is provided in your contract. You can run a speed test to see what your download speeds are in MBPS. Then, compare it to your contract. There is a chance that you might be getting what you should be, but if your business has grown significantly, you may need to invest in a stronger plan.

You’re on a shared connection

If you are trying to save money on your internet bills, you might be on a shared connection and not know it. This means that your bandwidth might be split by other users in the nearby area, which means that your internet speeds are dependent not only on your contract but also on the demands of other users. If you feel like your speeds are getting slow, particularly during peak hours, there might be other users clogging the internet connection. It would be advantageous for you to find a provider that offers Cloud Access Network, as it could alleviate some of the congestion you are experiencing. A Cloud Access Network is made up of carrier-grade routers and dedicated servers; they connect to multiple upstream transit circuits and diverse, dedicated private backbone paths.

Your hardware is malfunctioning

You may also need to take a look at your modem and router to make sure they are functioning appropriately. Start by resetting both your modem and router; wait for your connection to come back up, and test it again. You might need to upgrade them or reach out to your internet provider for support

A single program is clogging your bandwidth

Some apps and programs have a lot of processes running in the background. If that is the case, they could be clogging your bandwidth. Some of the most common examples of programs that take a tremendous amount of bandwidth include an online game, a video call, or a video stream. Many routers will track bandwidth utilization using their MAC addresses, so you may need to look them up, compare them to the information in your router, and see if something is chewing up all of your bandwidth.

You need an optimized internet connection

These are just a few of the reasons why your internet connection might not be as fast as it should be. Fortunately, this is not a problem that you need to tackle on your own. If internet reliability is consistently an issue for your business, you need to address it as quickly as possible to keep your employees and customers happy. Consider reaching out to some experts today who can help you evaluate the strength of your internet connection and the needs of your business, and make sure that your internet connectivity is a good match for the demands of your company.