When Your Internet Goes Down, Your Business Does Not Have To.
Summit's 4G Backup provides automatic failover to the mobile network the moment your primary connection drops, keeping EFTPOS running, phones connected and your team working while other businesses wait for their provider to call them back.
- Talk to someone who can fix it, not just log it
- Internet, phones and mobile on one bill
- We tell you what you need, not what we would rather sell
Overview
In November 2023, a single network outage took 400,000 Australian businesses offline for nearly 14 hours. EFTPOS terminals stopped processing payments. Cloud-based phone systems went silent. Point-of-sale systems froze. Businesses with no backup connection had no choice but to wait, losing revenue, customers and confidence with every passing hour.
That outage was a wake-up call, but the truth is that internet disruptions happen every day across Australia. NBN faults, fibre cuts, exchange failures, severe weather, planned maintenance that runs long: any of these can take your primary connection offline without warning. The question is not whether your internet will go down. The question is what happens to your business when it does.
Summit's 4G Backup is an automatic failover service that sits alongside your primary internet connection. When your main link drops, your traffic automatically switches to the 4G mobile network within moments. EFTPOS keeps processing. Your VoIP phones keep ringing. Cloud applications stay accessible. Your team keeps working. And when the primary connection is restored, traffic switches back automatically: no manual intervention, no IT team needed.
This is not a primary internet connection, and it is not a mobile broadband plan. 4G Backup is purpose-built as an insurance policy for your business connectivity. It activates only when you need it, and when you do need it, it is the difference between an inconvenience and a crisis.
Key Benefits
-
Automatic Failover, Zero Intervention
When your primary internet connection drops, 4G Backup detects the failure and switches your traffic to the 4G network automatically. There is no button to press, no number to call, no IT technician to summon. The failover happens in moments, and most of your team will not even notice the switch.
-
EFTPOS Never Stops
For retail, hospitality and any business that takes card payments, an internet outage means turning customers away or scrambling for manual workarounds. With 4G Backup, your EFTPOS terminals continue processing transactions seamlessly. You never have to tell a customer "Sorry, cash only" because your internet is down.
-
VoIP Phones Stay Connected
If your business runs a cloud phone system like our hosted PBX or SIP trunks, an internet outage means your phones go silent: no incoming calls, no outgoing calls, no voicemail. 4G Backup keeps your voice traffic flowing so you never miss a call from a customer, a supplier, or that prospect you have been waiting to hear from.
-
Cloud Applications Keep Running
Your team relies on cloud-based tools every day: email, CRM, accounting software, project management, file sharing. When the internet drops, all of it becomes inaccessible. 4G Backup maintains your connection to the cloud so your team can keep working instead of sitting idle.
-
Works with Any Primary Connection
4G Backup pairs with whatever primary internet connection your business uses: NBN, Fibre, Ethernet, or Summit's Fixed Wireless. Regardless of your primary access technology, 4G Backup provides a completely independent failover path using the mobile network.
-
Protects Your Revenue and Reputation
An internet outage costs more than just the time it takes to fix. Lost sales, missed calls, frustrated customers, delayed projects and damaged credibility all compound the longer you are offline. 4G Backup turns a potential disaster into a barely noticeable interruption. The cost of the backup service is a fraction of what even a single hour of downtime could cost your business.
-
Automatic Fail-Back
When your primary connection is restored, 4G Backup switches traffic back to your main link automatically. There is no manual reconfiguration, no need to call Summit, and no lingering on the backup connection longer than necessary.
-
Peace of Mind
Perhaps the most valuable benefit is the one you cannot measure in dollars. Knowing that your business has a safety net, and that a cable cut, an exchange failure or a weather event will not shut down your operations, lets you focus on running your business instead of worrying about what might go wrong with your internet.
How It Works
- 1 Summit installs a 4G backup device
Summit installs a 4G backup device
A small 4G-capable router is installed alongside your primary internet connection. It contains a SIM card on Australia's biggest mobile network and is pre-configured to monitor your primary link.
- 2 The device monitors your primary connection
The device monitors your primary connection
Continuously and silently, the 4G backup device checks the health of your primary internet connection. Your business operates normally on the primary link.
- 3 Primary connection drops
Primary connection drops
Whether it is an NBN fault, a fibre cut, a provider-side outage or any other failure, the 4G backup device detects the loss of primary connectivity within moments.
- 4 Traffic automatically switches to 4G
Traffic automatically switches to 4G
Your internet traffic (EFTPOS, VoIP, cloud apps, email, everything) routes through the 4G mobile network. Your business stays online. The switchover is fast enough that most applications experience only a brief interruption, if any.
- 5 Primary connection is restored
Primary connection is restored
When your main internet link comes back online, the 4G backup device detects the restoration and automatically switches traffic back to the primary connection. No manual intervention required.
- 6 Summit notifies you
Summit notifies you
You receive notification of the failover event so you are aware that your primary connection experienced an outage, even if your business operations were unaffected thanks to the backup.
Features
Failover & Connectivity
- Automatic Failover
- : Detects primary connection failure and switches to 4G without manual intervention
- Automatic Fail-Back
- : Returns to primary connection when it is restored
- Fast Switchover
- : Failover occurs within moments of detecting an outage
- Australia's Biggest Mobile Network
- : Backup connectivity on Australia's most extensive mobile network
- Independent Path
- : 4G backup operates on a completely separate network to your primary connection, providing true redundancy
Compatibility
- NBN Compatible
- : Works alongside any NBN connection type (FTTP, FTTC, FTTN, HFC, Fixed Wireless)
- Fibre Compatible
- : Pairs with Business Grade Fibre and Enterprise Ethernet connections
- Fixed Wireless Compatible
- : Works with Summit's own fixed wireless internet service
- VoIP Compatible
- : Maintains cloud phone system and SIP trunk connectivity during failover
- EFTPOS Compatible
- : Keeps payment terminals processing during an outage
Monitoring & Alerts
- Continuous Health Monitoring
- : Primary connection health is monitored 24/7
- Failover Notifications
- : Receive alerts when the backup activates and when the primary connection is restored
- Usage Reporting
- : Track how much data is consumed on the backup connection
Hardware
- 4G Backup Router
- : Compact, business-grade device installed alongside your primary connection
- Pre-Configured SIM
- : Ready to activate on Australia's biggest mobile network
- Professional Installation
- : Summit installs and configures the backup device as part of the setup
Use Cases
- Retail
EFTPOS That Never Goes Down
RetailA boutique clothing store processes 85% of its transactions by card. During a four-hour NBN outage on a Saturday afternoon, the busiest trading day of the week, the store's 4G Backup kicks in automatically. EFTPOS continues processing, the cloud POS system stays connected, and not a single customer is turned away. The owner only discovers there was an outage when she receives Summit's notification email. Estimated revenue saved: thousands of dollars that would have been lost to "Sorry, cash only."
- Hospitality
Service Without Interruption
Dentists & GPsA busy cafe relies on internet for EFTPOS, its ordering system, kitchen display screens and background music streaming. When a contractor accidentally cuts the fibre cable on the street outside, the 4G Backup activates within moments. Orders keep flowing, payments keep processing, and the lunch rush proceeds without a hitch. The cable is repaired four hours later, and the fail-back happens automatically.
- Medical Practice
Patient Care Continues
Dentists & GPsA GP clinic depends on internet connectivity for Medicare claiming, electronic prescriptions, pathology results and the practice management system. An exchange failure takes out NBN to the entire block. With 4G Backup, the clinic continues seeing patients, processing Medicare claims and issuing prescriptions without interruption. Without it, patients would need to be rescheduled and revenue would be lost for every hour offline.
- Professional Services
Deadlines Do Not Wait
Lawyers & AccountantsA law firm has a court filing deadline at 4:00 PM. At 2:30 PM, their internet goes down. Without 4G Backup, they would be scrambling to find an alternative: a mobile hotspot, a nearby cafe with Wi-Fi, a frantic call to the court registry. With 4G Backup, the filing is submitted on time, the phones keep working, and the partners may not even realise the primary connection was down until they read the notification.
- Multi-Site Business
Consistency Across Locations
Pharmacies & Medical ConsultantsA pharmacy chain has six stores. Every store has Summit internet with 4G Backup. When an area-wide NBN fault affects two of the six locations, those two stores fail over to 4G and continue dispensing eScripts, processing PBS claims and taking EFTPOS payments. The head office receives failover notifications and coordinates with Summit on the primary connection restoration, but the stores themselves never stop serving customers.
Your situation not on this list? Tell us what you run or call 1300 049 749 and we will tell you honestly whether we can help.
Not sure which option is right for your business?
Book a short call with one of our network specialists. Tell them how your business actually runs and they will tell you which access technology suits it, which ones do not, and why. If the cheaper option is the right one, they will say so.
Why Choose Summit for 4G Backup
- 01
It Works Because We Own the Primary Network
When Summit provides both your primary internet connection and your 4G Backup, the failover is tightly integrated and thoroughly tested. We are not bolting a third-party backup onto someone else's internet connection and hoping the two systems talk to each other. We control the primary connection, we configure the backup, and we ensure the failover works seamlessly.
- 02
True Redundancy on a Separate Network
4G Backup operates on Australia's biggest mobile network, a completely independent path from your primary fixed-line connection. This means a fault that affects your NBN, fibre or fixed wireless does not affect your backup. True redundancy requires network independence, and Summit's 4G Backup delivers exactly that.
- 03
One Provider Sees the Whole Picture
When a failover event occurs, Summit's team can see both your primary connection status and your backup activation in one view. We can diagnose the primary fault, monitor the backup performance, and coordinate the restoration without you needing to contact multiple providers or explain the situation twice.
- 04
The Maths Make Sense
Consider the cost of downtime for your business. A single hour without EFTPOS could cost a retailer hundreds or thousands of dollars. A missed deadline could cost a professional services firm a client relationship. A disrupted clinic loses Medicare revenue for every hour offline. 4G Backup costs a fraction of what even one significant outage would cost your business. It is not an expense. It is insurance.
Other services businesses pair this with
Bundle them on one bill →Why Australian Businesses Choose Summit Internet
Frequently asked questions
Do Not Wait for the Next Outage to Wish You Had a Backup
4G Backup keeps your business running when your primary internet fails. Automatic failover, automatic fail-back, and the peace of mind that comes from knowing you are covered.
Call 1300 049 749 or request a callback · Mon-Fri 9AM-5PM AEST