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My broadband connection is often slow and sometimes it fails completely. I’m losing business!
What kind of connection is it?
ADSL
Why did you choose ADSL?
It was the cheapest.
Is it cost-effective now?
Hell, no!
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I thought ADSL was a good broadband option.
It is, most of the time. It’s fairly cheap, can give you up to 8Mb download, and if you’ve already
got a BT line installed it takes only a few days to install.
But… ?
But if your business relies heavily on the internet, then no. It isn’t always fast or reliable.
Why not?
Because of the contention ratio.
Contention what?
When you’re through a BT line, your connection speed (e.g. 2Mb) is the maximum figure. It slows
down because you’re in contention to use this bandwidth with up to 50 other uses at any time.
Well I never!
That’s why broadband is cheap.
Can we cut down the contention?
Some business ADSL lines cut down the ratio to 20, or you can get more expensive options at
5, 3 or even no contention.
And why is sending slower than downloading?
Because ADSL is asymmetrical. The sending speed is often an eighth of the download.
However, with an SDSL line, you get equal speed in both directions. But it can still go down,
and if you’re unlucky, engineers could be fixing the telephone line for days.
So what’s the alternative?
A leased line, which is a private connection to an ISP, is 99.9 per cent reliable. But on
the other hand it can be ten times more expensive, especially with the set-up costs.
There’s always a catch.
There are so many options – not to mention offputting acronyms. Apart from ADSL and SDSL
you can have LES, WES, Leased Lines, and, of course, good old ISDN back-up through a phone line.
That last one is very reliable and less expensive, but the big question is…
what’s the right choice for you?
Every organization has its own set of issues and priorities. At Psychosis we work hard to make sure we
can offer you the most appropriate broadband option for your needs. If you want to know whether your
existing set-up is right for you and consider the choices, please contact us and we will be happy to advise.
Also in this issue: Skype and Junk Mail |
