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If you are an AT&T customer thinking of starting a small business, you might wonder if your home internet is up to the task.
As a fellow small business owner and AT&T customer, let me address this question.
Every business has unique requirements. A residential internet plan can be good enough for a small business but might not offer the necessary bandwidth, scalability, or reliability for more resource-intensive operations. So, there is no straightforward answer to this.
Allow me to elaborate with a side-by-side comparison between residential and business internet plans, what makes them different, and why companies consider upgrading from residential to business plans.
Residential vs. Business Internet - What Is the Difference?
Business and residential internet plans might look the same but are designed to cater to different needs, audiences, and users.
Here is a quick overview of Residential vs. Business Internet:
| Business Internet | Residential Internet |
|---|---|
| Price | |
| Business internet is expensive for the same speeds you get on a residential plan due to enhanced features. | Resident internet is relatively inexpensive for speeds that are just as fast as a business plan. |
| Bandwidth | |
| Business internet plans have higher bandwidth and scalability options. This is the reason business internet can accommodate more simultaneous users and heavy data traffic. | Residential internet plans have less bandwidth, offer less upload speed, and might not offer the scalability options that businesses require. |
| Scalability | |
| With the growth of the company, business requirements also change. Business internets allow seamless expansion as per requirement. | Residential internet has very limited scalability options because they are designed for individual or family use. |
| Support | |
| Outages, connectivity issues, or slow speed, business internet subscribers are always prioritized for troubleshooting and customer support. | Even with 24/7 customer support, residential internet subscription providers may not get the same attention as business users. |
| Speeds | |
| Speed is one of the biggest requirements for businesses, so business internet plans come with symmetrical speeds. | Most residential internet plans feature asymmetrical speeds i.e. high download speeds and lower upload speeds. |
| Service Level Agreements | |
| For business internet plans, companies have B2B Service Level Agreements (SLAs). SLAs guarantee reliability but can take time. | For a residential internet plan, there are no lengthy agreements required, you can call customer support and buy any plan. |
| Security | |
| Business internet plans come with enhanced security features i.e. firewall protection, VPNs, security protocols, etc. to ensure the safety of sensitive business data. | Residential internet plans do not offer high-level security features. However, if you are an AT&T customer you will still get for ActiveArmorSM data safety. |
Best AT&T Residential Plans for Small Business
AT&T residential internet plans tick all the boxes when it comes to running a small business. From asymmetrical speed to unlimited internet and reliable Wi-Fi for a well-connected experience, it can easily substitute any small business internet plan. Moreover, AT&T offers a huge variety of residential internet plans that range from 300 Mbps to 5 GIG.
Here are the top three residential plans offered by AT&T that are good for small businesses as well:
AT&T Fiber Internet 300
- 300 Mbps equal upload and download speeds†
- Connect 10+ devices at one time
- No annual contracts, no data caps & no price increase at 12 months
- 15X faster upload speeds than cable
Comparison of Internet 300 wired upload connection speed to Xfinity, Spectrum and Cox 300MB, 400MB and 500MB plans with 300MB, 400Mb and 500MB download and 10MB and 20MB upload
Click here for PricingAT&T Fiber Internet 500
- 500 Mbps equal upload and download speeds†
- Great for multiplayer gaming
- No annual contracts, no data caps & no price increase at 12 months
- 20X faster upload speeds than cable
Comparison of Internet 500 wired upload connection speed to Xfinity, Spectrum and Cox 600Mb, 400Mb and 500MB plans with 600Mb, 400Mb and 500MB download and 10MB and 20MB upload
Click here for PricingAT&T Fiber Internet 1000
- Up to 1 GIG speed†
- Unlimited data
- Share massively large files in seconds
- 25X faster upload speeds than cable
Comparison of Internet 1000 wired upload connection speed to Xfinity, Spectrum & COX 1Gig service with uploads of 35 Mbps. For more information, go to www.att.com/speed101
Click here for PricingWhy Should A Company Upgrade to Business Internet?
Every business has unique requirements. So based on the nature of business, the number of employees, and scalability options, most small businesses choose to upgrade. Here are some important signs that your company also needs to upgrade to business internet:
Bandwidth
Sign: Your employees are experiencing lags during video calls, data transfer, or accessing cloud-based services.
Solution: Business internet allocates more bandwidth per user; ensure seamless usage regardless of the time.
Security
Sign: your employees are receiving spam emails or you have experienced a few phishing or hacking attacks.
Solution: business broadband plans come equipped with advanced security features, adding an extra layer of security for sensitive business data and information.
Scalability
Sign: Your employees are reporting speed and lag issues due to a high number of simultaneous users.
Solution: Business internet plans often offer easily scalable options to accommodate growth, as well as higher user limits for consistent performance, even with multiple users.
Unleash the Power of Fiber for Your Business
AT&T offers a wide variety of both residential and business fiber plans, so I suggest you start with a plan that meets the requirements of your small business and upgrade it when needed.
Ultimately, it all comes down to availability. You can check AT&T Fiber Availability Map or enter the zip code to see if AT&T is available in your area.
FAQ's
Is business internet faster than residential?
Yes, business internet generally has better speeds than residential internet. Moreover, even during peak hours, business internet speed stays steady.
Do I need business internet to work from home?
For work from home, there is no need for business internet. A good residential internet plan can easily support all work-related tasks including sending emails, video calls, software development, etc.
Is business internet better than residential internet?
For startups, business internet is a much better option provided you can afford business internet. However, for single or family use, residential internet is enough.
