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Breaking Bad. Why you need to make the right choice for your business.

by | September 4, 2017

The National Broadband Network is rolling out quickly with the introduction of the Multi-Technology Mix. Making the right choice for your business internet connection is now more important than ever.

So, is the NBN the Walter White [right] choice for my business?

If your business relies on online services to operate, then the NBN is not a suitable choice. NBN has no service level agreement. This means that if your internet service is disrupted, there is no guarantee when it will be repaired. You will also not be able to request a rebate for the time your service is offline.

What’s the difference between a NBN connection and a Business Grade Fibre Service?

Business grade internet services are designed with business in mind. 
 
  • Low contention ratios – a guarantee of bandwidth throughput on your service.
  • Service Level Agreement – a guarantee of fault restoration and repair times.
  • Server Level Rebates – a financial rebate if the Service Level Agreement is not met.
  • Business Only Networks – data networks designed for business use.
  • Local Support – support on shore in Australia.
  • Monitoring – network operations centre watching and monitoring the availability of your service.

What downtime can your business afford?

Internet downtime can cost your business thousands of dollars. This is why skimping on an internet connection is not worth it.
  • 5 Staff Unable to Work for 8 Hours – $1,400
  • 12 Staff Unable to Work for 12 Hours – $5,040
  • 30 Staff Unable to Work for 16 Hours – $16,800

So, why is the NBN so cheap?

It’s cheap because it’s designed for the Jesse Pinkman home market. If your kids can’t get the latest episode of Game of Thrones or post a picture of spaghetti bolognese to Insta, it’s probably not going to lose anyone any money (Other than the kids for not doing their chores).
 
  • High contention ratios – no guarantee of bandwidth throughput on your service. Service slow downs when all the kids get home at 3pm and start watching Netflix.
  • No Service Level Agreement – No guarantee of fault restoration and repair times. We have seen services take 16 weeks for restoration.
  • No Server Level Rebates – No financial rebate. You get what you pay for. Cheap and cheerful means you get what you pay for.
  • Offshore Support – With such slim margins, support on shore is expensive in Australia.
  • No Monitoring – No uptime monitoring of your service. No SLA means there’s no reason to make sure it’s monitored.
Summit offers business internet connections from $440 per month. There’s no reason to risk your business to the National Broadband Network. Check your address to see what high speed internet connection is available for your business.

What internet connection is best for my business?

by | June 12, 2017

In business these days it’s necessary to have a reliable internet connection. Your business and its internet connection are complementary. The kind of internet connection you need depends on what kind of business you have.

It goes without saying that if you’re a one man band who does minimal online work a Fibre service of 100Mbps would be overkill. Conversely, running an online film editing company on a 4G service would be equally preposterous.

So what is the best kind of internet connection for your business?

ADSL2+ & NBN

Whilst ADSL & NBN are cost effective it can actually end up costing you a lot more than you bargained for in lost productivity and downtime.

Both of these services are deemed “consumer” and don’t carry the same level of service assurance that true business ethernet and fibre services come with.

What do we mean by service assurance?

Service Assurance relates to how quickly your service runs, how quickly will the provider respond in the event of a problem, how quickly will a problem be fixed and if you will receive a rebate if your service isn’t running properly or is down.

Will I get the full speed on ADSL and NBN?

Both ADSL and NBN are speeds “up to” services. This means that whilst you may order a 25/5Mbps NBN service, it may only perform at 18/3Mbps. Similarly, ADSL theoretical maximum is 24/1Mbps, but rarely performs at full speed. This is due to a number of factors, mainly, the underlying technology of the copper network, distance from the exchange or node and network contention ratios.

If you run a small team or a business where an “always on” internet connection isn’t important, then an ADSL or NBN service may be suitable for your business.

If the internet is super important to your business operations, a Fibre or Ethernet Internet service is more suitable.

Ethernet and Fibre Internet

This is the most common type of connection that we provide at Summit. Fibre and ethernet internet services scale from small businesses all the way up to large enterprises. If you use cloud services like Office 365 and Google Apps, have multiple offices with a VPN, do a lot of video conferencing, need a dedicated internet service to upload or store files on cloud-based storage services or just need guaranteed speeds, then Fibre is the service for you.

Ethernet and Fibre services also have “symmetrical” speeds, meaning they have the same download and upload rates. The other reason businesses choose Ethernet and Fibre services is that they aren’t “best effort.” They’re guaranteed to be stable at the given speed, so if you’re on the 100/100Mbps plan, then that is what you get – 100Mbps download and 100Mbps upload.

Business Fibre and Ethernet services also carry Business Service Level Agreements which guarantee performance, uptime and fault restoration. In the unlikely event of an issue, you may be eligible for a percentage of your monthly fee as a service level credit.

Fixed Wireless

Fixed Wireless is a service which uses microwave point-to-point wireless connections from the supplier tower or basestation to your premises. Some businesses, especially in remote areas, cannot always get a dedicated fibre service. In this instance, Fixed Wireless is a good solution because it is also a symmetrical service that allows you be on the same upload and download with no issues. Fixed Wireless is also a good option as a failover service as it can serve as a good backup to keep your business running smoothly if you have complications with your wired service.

Telstra 4G Mobile Broadband Data

Telstra 4G Mobile Broadband is great for businesses that are on the go or have staff that need network access when offsite. However, the service transmits through the Telstra 4G mobile towers, so there can be complications when users are not in mobile range. Most connections these days run through 4G technology that sometimes gets even better speeds than fixed services. This type of connection is useful for pop up shops, very small businesses who need a very small amount of data or as a contingency plan.

As you can see, there are benefits and drawbacks to each type of data service. If your business doesn’t rely heavily on the internet, a 100Mbps Ethernet connection would be of little use, while a slower connection would be a problem if you do a lot of teleconferencing. Determining why you need your data connection will help steer you in the right direction when it comes time to choose which type to go with.

To speak with an internet specialist about what solution is right for your business, give our team a call on 1300 049 749.

How will the NBN impact my business?

by | June 7, 2017

The National Broadband Network (NBN) rolling out right now is Australia’s newest broadband network.

The NBN uses a number of technologies to deliver speeds of up to 100Mbps, four times faster than regular ADSL services.

  • nbn™ Fibre to the premises
    nbn™ Fibre to the premises (FTTP) is the scenario where we’re able to run a fibre optic line all the way to your premises.
  • nbn™ Fibre to the node
    nbn™ Fibre to the node (FTTN) is where we run nbn™ Fibre to a newly built cabinet and then connect with the existing copper network.
  • nbn™ Fibre to the building
    nbn™ Fibre to the building (FTTB) is generally used when we’re connecting an apartment block or similar type of building to the nbn™ network.
  • nbn™ Hybrid Fibre Coaxial
    nbn™ Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) is used in circumstances where the existing ‘pay TV’ or cable network can be used to reach your premises.
  • nbn™ Fixed Wireless
    nbn™ Fixed Wireless is a form of connection where data is sent from a transmission tower and travels wirelessly to an antenna that has been fitted by an nbn™ approved installer to your roof.
  • nbn™ Sky Muster™
    The connection of some remote and rural locations services over the nbn™ network can be delivered via our Sky Muster™ satellite. In this scenario a satellite dish is installed on the premises and receives the nbn™ network signal from the Sky Muster™ satellite.

How does this affect your business?

  • Access to fast broadband brings video conferencing to life. Meet with customers, suppliers and colleagues, regardless of location, face to face without even leaving your desk, saving time and boosting productivity.
  • High-speed broadband gives you the ability to benefit from the full potential of cloud-based services. Customers, suppliers, staff and data can all be accessed from many locations on any connected device.
  • You can display the best visual graphics and optimise the online customer experience to make your business stand out from the rest.
  • Fast internet access increases productivity in both the workplace and remote locations.
    With an NBN connection your business is ready to grow. Scalability is fast and easy. Internet speeds can be increased and multiple connections are readily available.

Is the NBN in my area?

The NBN coverage map allows you to view the planned stages of the roll out in your area. Once the NBN is available, your current provider will contact you to make the switch.

Can I keep my phone numbers?

Your Service Provider has the capability to port your number over to the new NBN network and lets you use analogue or digital handsets. Alternatively, you can move your service over to a hosted voice solution once you have NBN broadband connected.

How long will it take for a NBN installation?

The installation is carried out by a licensed contractor. They differ from site to site depending on the current infrastructure available. Installation can take anywhere from 1-2 days to 45 business days.

Planning and tips for installing the NBN

  • The location of the utility box may be restricted based on the existing telecommunications infrastructure.
  • If connecting a wireless router to your NBN equipment, consider the distance and location of your devices.
  • Think about future plans for the room, as relocation of equipment will need to be done by a certified installer.
  • You will need to contact your service provider if extra cabling is needed from the NBN equipment to other devices such as phone outlets, security alarms or in-home networking.
  • If you are in a newly built home or development, your builder may have put infrastructure in place that will pre-determine the location of the NBN equipment.
  • Technology is evolving faster and faster everyday.

Ready to switch on Business NBN? Speak to Summit Internet today – 1300 049 749.

Is your phone system NBN ready?

by | May 23, 2017

With the rollout of the NBN progressing at a much faster rate since the Government announced the NBN Multi-Technology Mix, the disconnection of standard telephone services such as PSTN and ISDN will now be complete by 2022.

Is your phone system NBN ready? Many businesses are being caught out with the NBN rollout finding out after the fact that their current analogue phone system, key telephone system or traditional pabx is not NBN compatible.

With the arrival of the NBN, your business will need to move from traditional PSTN and ISDN telephone services to IP or SIP telephone services.

Summit has designed a number of ways to make the migration to an NBN Compatible Telephone System as painless as possible. We have an expert team who will work with you to Project Manage your move to an NBN Ready Phone System.

Hosted Telephone System

The easiest way to get a NBN Compatible Telephone Service is using a Hosted Phone System, Hosted PBX or Cloud PBX. With a Hosted PBX, the only equipment required in your business is an Internet Connection and the Phone Handsets on the desk. The Phone System lives in the cloud inside Summit’s Secure Datacentes. FlexPBX from Summit Internet offers you phone bill certainty with Unlimited Standard Local, National and Mobile calls for just $39.95 per user, per month.

PSTN or ISDN Gateway

If you want to keep your existing phone system, such as NEC Xen, NEC Topaz, NEC SV8100, LG Aria, Nortel BCM, Commander Phone System, Siemens PABX, Avaya IP Office, LG IPECS, Samsung PABX, Mitel, Alcatel PABX, Hybrex Phone System or Panasonic PBX, then you will need a PSTN or ISDN Gateway.

A PSTN or ISDN gateway allows you to connect your traditional phone system to the Summit IP Voice Network to be NBN ready.

Summit Internet offers a range of PSTN and ISDN gateways for Voice over IP Telephony on the NBN and work closely with a number of Traditional Phone System Technicals to install and configure your phone system to be ready for the NBN.

Don’t get caught out and be cut off. Speak to us now to move on to a NBN ready phone solution.