High-Speed/Broadband Internet Access
Choices include: Wireless, ISDN, Leased Lines, Frame Relay and Other Business Solutions
Can high speed and dedicated access to the Internet help your
business? Which of the following categories best describes
your business activities using the Internet:
A.) Certain employees send and receive business email and occasionally use the World Wide Web for research. As needed, they "dial in" using a modem, do their business and then disconnect. The slow nature of this modem connection means lost productivity, however the cost of an internal network (LAN) and faster access to the Net cannot be justified at this time.
ISDN will far out perform a modem, but in a business environment your money might be better spent developing a LAN (Local Area Network) to enhance and improve internal communication before spending resources on fast connections to the world. However, if you maintain a home office, need faster response from the Internet, and have the budget for it, an ISDN connection to the Internet is certainly more cost effective than the only previous solution, the leased line.
B.) You are sending/receiving larger files using email and FTP, editing your corporate web pages, and possibly communicating with branch offices in another location via email. After dialing in, your employees must sometimes wait as large files and numerous email messages download to their work computer. You might even have a "poor man's" peer to peer network set up, but sometimes all the computers slow down when one station sends a fax, hooks to the Net, or sends a print job to a community printer. In addition to speeding up all computers on the network, you understand that hooking all your business computers together as a LAN (rather than peer to peer) is the first step towards the inevitable and will allow internal memos as well as world wide email, easier scheduling of meetings, fast exchange of large files, and instantaneous notice when email arrives.
A dedicated network server and ISDN or Frame Relay would be a good upgrade to consider. High speed connections can help speed up some aspects of a peer to peer network and lay the ground work for a dedicated network server. Satellite offices in distant locations can be brought into the loop while decreasing your long distance bills.
C.) You already have a LAN (Local Area Network) in your business and want all the client computers on your network to have access to the Internet to one degree or another. In other words, you desire many or all work stations to be able to send and receive email, browse the web, exchange files, and conduct transactions on the Net. Information moves very quickly on your internal network (your intranet), but your connection to the world's network is slow or non-existent.
A network in place means unlimited possibilities for your business. That very network connection can allow for developments such as an Intranet for internal exchange of information as well as internal and Internet email, file sharing, project co-ordination, and a team approach to productivity. It also serves as a springboard to enhanced services and convenience for your customers. The enhanced data flow offered by Frame Relay and ISDN means better and faster communications between buildings or satellite offices... or with your customers. The reasons you needed faster internal data transfer capabilities now apply to the world of the Internet too.
D.) You have invested heavily in computer hardware, software, and training in order to better compete and deliver goods and services to your customers. You might want password protected web pages for your outside sales force or web pages that update themselves instantly as your inventory database changes. Possibly you need to establish fast, reliable communication with one or many branch offices scattered around the country (or the world). You may desire to maintain your own email and web "servers" in house in order to cut cost and have complete control over security and sensitive corporate information. Employees need all the pertinent information at their finger tips... NOW!!!
Does "D" above describe your business? If so, you probably know what direction your business is taking and already have a wish list of future upgrades to stay ahead of your competitors. However, did you know that ISDN can be more cost effective than previous solutions while allowing a clear upgrade path when and if you need the granddaddy of all data pipes, the Frame Relay / Leased Line.
Do you need more information to make an informed decision? Please be sure and contact us for a free consult. We can help you select the right solution for your needs, hardware, and budget.
