When evaluating internet options for your business, understanding the fundamental differences between dedicated internet access (DIA) and broadband can save you thousands in downtime costs and productivity losses.
What is Broadband Internet?
Broadband internet, including cable and fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) services from providers like Comcast, Spectrum, or AT&T, delivers internet through shared infrastructure. Your connection shares bandwidth with neighboring businesses and residences, which means performance varies throughout the day.
Key characteristics of broadband:
- Shared bandwidth with other users in your area
- Asymmetrical speeds (faster download, slower upload)
- Best-effort service with no performance guarantees
- Lower monthly cost
- No Service Level Agreement (SLA) for uptime or repair
What is Dedicated Internet Access?
Dedicated internet access provides a private, point-to-point fiber connection between your business and the provider’s network. Your bandwidth is exclusively yours, never shared with other customers.
Key characteristics of dedicated internet:
- Guaranteed, symmetrical bandwidth (same upload and download speeds)
- Private connection not shared with anyone
- 99.999% uptime SLA with financial credits for outages
- 4-hour or less mean time to repair (MTTR)
- 24/7 Network Operations Center (NOC) support
- Proactive monitoring and issue resolution
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Broadband | Dedicated Internet |
|---|---|---|
| Bandwidth Type | Shared | Private/Dedicated |
| Speed Symmetry | Asymmetrical | Symmetrical |
| Uptime SLA | None | 99.999% |
| Repair Time SLA | None (days) | 4 hours or less |
| Support | Call center | Direct NOC access |
| Monthly Cost | Lower | Higher |
| Best For | Small offices, non-critical | Mission-critical operations |
When Broadband is Sufficient
Broadband can work well for businesses that:
- Have fewer than 10 employees
- Do not rely heavily on cloud applications
- Can tolerate occasional slowdowns or outages
- Do not use VoIP phone systems
- Have limited video conferencing needs
When You Need Dedicated Internet
Dedicated internet becomes essential when:
- Downtime directly impacts revenue (e-commerce, financial services)
- You rely on cloud-based applications (Salesforce, SAP, Office 365)
- VoIP phone quality is critical
- You need to transfer large files regularly
- Multiple locations need reliable connectivity
- Compliance requirements mandate uptime guarantees (healthcare, finance)
- You host servers or applications on-premises
The Real Cost of Downtime
While dedicated internet costs more monthly, consider the cost of downtime:
- Average cost of IT downtime: $5,600 per minute (Gartner)
- Small business downtime cost: $137-$427 per minute (ITIC)
- Lost productivity, missed sales, damaged reputation
A single extended outage can cost more than a year of dedicated internet service.
Making the Right Choice
For most businesses with more than 10 employees or any reliance on cloud services, dedicated internet provides the reliability and performance needed to operate effectively. The investment in guaranteed uptime pays for itself by preventing costly outages.
Ready to upgrade your connectivity? Check availability at your location or schedule a consultation with our team.
