Businesses today are becoming increasingly dependent on fast reliable access to the Internet for many applications, whether it is email and messaging (video and text), e-commerce or secure VPN (virtual private network) connections to remote workers and other offices. These applications are the lifeblood of many organisations and the Internet access that they require is not something to be taken lightly.
Many businesses can run quite happily using broadband as their main communication tool, however, as companies grow, their needs often change and broadband access may no longer offer sufficient bandwidth or levels of support. For example, if you are currently looking at hosting your own website, or Internet access has become an essential element in how you interact with your customers, then you may need stronger service levels and technical support to ensure your Internet service runs smoothly. Alternatively, you may have investigated DSL services and found that they are either unavailable in your area or can't deliver the necessary bandwidth. For whatever reason, if you find that broadband Internet access is unable to provide what you need then it's time to look beyond broadband towards faster, dedicated services.
What is High Speed Internet?
The THUS High Speed Internet (HSI) portfolio has been designed for businesses with significant Internet access requirements. It is a fast, unmetered, dedicated service that provides a symmetric (upstream and downstream connections run at the same speed) connection to the Internet - all of which are important features for email transfer, as well as for those organisations that host websites, or utilise Internet VPN and extranet access. Unlike the majority of DSL broadband solutions, with a dedicated service you have an unlimited connection that delivers the stated bandwidth and can satisfy bandwidth-hungry applications such as those mentioned above.
Business-level broadband services may provide cost-effective Internet access but they don't provide the same level of service quality. The service is provided on a dedicated connection managed by THUS, so we control the circuit all the way through to the Internet. THUS is able to monitor the HSI connection at our state-of-the-art monitoring centre, aiming, in many cases, to spot and deal with issues before they affect customers. However, should a fault occur, we offer stringent fix times, for fast action and piece of mind.
Delivery options
DSL broadband is delivered over copper wires from a local telephone exchange, while many new HSI connections are now delivered using fibre optic cabling. HSI has multiple delivery options ranging from a bandwidth of 2Mbps upwards.
For customers within 25km of one of THUS' 190 network points of presence, services can be delivered using Ethernet. HSI over Ethernet (HSIoE) is fast becoming the default delivery method. It is flexible, cost effective and can link in with a company's existing networking technologies (as it is delivered with an RJ45 connection it can be connected straight into most firewalls and routers), making it an obvious choice. HSIoE can be delivered in 10Mbps and 100Mbps circuits.
Services can also be provided using single or multiple 2Mbps links, or, for larger requirements, we can deliver 34, 45 and 155Mbps circuits using Frame/ATM technologies; ideal for companies with higher bandwidth requirements or for those located further from a THUS point of presence.
For circuits greater than single and multiple 2Mbps options, the actual bandwidth can be scaled back to meet your requirements. This has the benefit of reducing costs, as you only pay for what you expect to utilise. It is also quickly and cost effectively scalable for growth to meet business demands.
Benefits
There are many benefits associated with upgrading to a High Speed Internet solution and these are best summarised by three categories: scalability, reliability and quality.
Depending on what delivery mechanism has been chosen, our services provide a ready migration path to enable you to scale your bandwidth requirements as your Internet-based operations increase. With existing Ethernet circuits, where there is capacity, it can take as little as 10 days to scale up the bandwidth for customers. An increase in your service provision will require no change of equipment and no loss of service - increasing the bandwidth is similar to turning up a tap; it really is that straightforward.
Our High Speed Internet services are delivered over the THUS Next-Generation Network - one of the most advanced networks in Great Britain. The strength of our network means that, in contrast to DSL, we can offer high standards of service with availability of 99.90% or above.
Unlike broadband, with HSI we are able to provide assurances that should you experience a fault with your service, we offer 24/7, year round, support, and a four-hour fix time for critical faults as standard. We can also offer various reporting options and have a full service credit regime for your piece of mind.
Moving up
While HSI services have traditionally been seen as too expensive for many companies, recent reductions in price, plus the benefits outlined above, now make it a highly cost-effective option when compared with many current high-end DSL service offerings. If a high-quality, fast, synchronous Internet connection is essential to the continued success of you business, then you should be considering options such as High Speed Internet from THUS.