By: John Shepler
Since broadband’s debut over 20 years ago, internet speeds have steadily increased. However, just when you think your bandwidth is sufficient, websites and cloud applications become sluggish, impacting productivity and necessitating an upgrade. The good news is that upgrading your internet service is no longer a daunting task if done correctly.
The Demand for High Bandwidth
The need for increased bandwidth is primarily driven by data-intensive applications. While the early internet was mostly text-based, the evolution to images, databases, and especially video streaming significantly increased bandwidth consumption.
Currently, large file transfers, high-definition video conferencing, cloud-based business applications, and e-commerce are driving the demand for high-speed, low-latency internet connections.
The Evolution of WAN Bandwidth
The telecommunications landscape was built on copper and wireless technologies. While wireless continues to evolve, traditional copper lines are being phased out, replaced by coaxial cable enhanced with DOCSIS 3.1 and 4.0, enabling it to compete with fiber. Similarly, 5G and the upcoming 6G wireless technologies are also challenging fiber’s dominance.
Fiber optic cable is undeniably the leading telecommunications technology. Its widespread deployment connects cities, towns, and even continents, forming the backbone of the internet. While the underlying glass fibers and lasers remain unchanged, modern fiber optic networks utilize different protocols. The traditional telephone-centric SONET has been superseded by Ethernet over Fiber, ensuring compatibility with local area networks. Furthermore, packet-switched networks have overtaken circuit-switched networks in prevalence.
The Affordability of Bandwidth
While the increasing bandwidth requirements might seem daunting, the cost of bandwidth is decreasing at a similar rate. Gigabit fiber or cable broadband is now available at the former price of a T1 line. Gigabit internet speeds are becoming increasingly accessible to residential users through cable and PON (passive optical network) fiber, while wireless speeds reaching hundreds of Mbps are also becoming commonplace. These advancements benefit both individuals and smaller businesses.
For those requiring even faster connections, multi-gigabit speeds, particularly 10 Gbps, are emerging as the new standard. This speed is well-suited for businesses with numerous online employees, healthcare facilities transmitting large medical images, automated factories, and video production companies. Upgrading to a 10 Gbps fiber line offers a viable solution for businesses experiencing congestion with their existing Gigabit internet or GigE services. For operations demanding even higher bandwidth, 100 Gbps connections are becoming increasingly available.
Bandwidth Considerations
It’s crucial to acknowledge that not all bandwidth is created equal. Internet access, as a shared resource, generally works well for most users with sufficient bandwidth.
Cable, cellular, and wireless internet services are shared among multiple users without any prioritization or latency guarantees, making them the most affordable options.
Direct Internet Access (DIA) provides a dedicated private line from your location to the service provider’s internet connection. This dedicated connection minimizes competition for bandwidth with other local users, unlike shared connections, which can become congested. 5G slicing offers a similar concept for wireless connections.
For unparalleled performance, consider bypassing the public internet and opting for a dedicated private line directly connecting your business to your cloud provider. These private lines, also known as direct connections, eliminate competition from other users, ensuring consistent high performance. A 10 Gig Ethernet fiber private line provides a premium solution comparable to having on-premises servers, making it a worthwhile investment if consistent cloud performance is paramount.
Before dismissing the possibility, explore the pricing for 10 GigE and higher bandwidth solutions for businesses. If a full 10 Gbps connection is not immediately necessary, fractional bandwidth options with the possibility of future upgrades are available. Larger organizations may also find 100 Gbps connections surprisingly affordable.
