Why Is Your Business Broadband So Slow?

by | Dec 2, 2021 | Business Broadband

Modern society is heavily reliant on internet connectivity — and the faster it is, the better.

Without it, most businesses would not be able to function efficiently and profitably, yet so many suffer from slow broadband speeds and never take any steps to improve the situation.

This article will discuss how slow broadband can affect your business, reasons why it might be slow, and what you can do about it.

How does slow broadband affect your business?

An internet connection that is slow or ‘laggy’ is frustrating for everyone involved, and it can affect everything from employee productivity to your bottom line.

Here are just some of the ways that a slow connection can have a negative impact on your business:

  • Most businesses rely on various cloud-based tools for collaboration and productivity, but these aren’t much good without a fast, reliable internet connection. When employees aren’t able to communicate and perform their work tasks efficiently, they can become frustrated and unmotivated.
  • Your customers expect their queries and issues to be dealt with swiftly. If your customer service team operates online or via a VoIP system, then slow internet speeds can have a negative effect on how efficiently issues are resolved, which in turn can hurt your business’ reputation.
  • If you often video call clients or conduct meetings via Zoom or Microsoft Teams, then the last thing you need is your screen freezing or the call dropping multiple times. Not only is it frustrating, but it may lead to crossed wires or important details being missed.
  • File sharing uses a considerable amount of bandwidth, so it can slow everything down when your employees are trying to send large files. This can have a knock-on effect on the entire team’s workflow for the day.

If you want your business to stand out in a sea of competitors, you need to give off a good impression at every opportunity.

People will make snap judgements on everything from how quickly your website loads to how efficiently your customer service team deals with their query. These are just two examples out of a long list of things that depend on a fast, reliable internet connection. If it’s not up to scratch, your customers may go elsewhere.

Next, we’ll look at why your broadband connection might be slow, as well as some possible solutions to improve it.

 

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Why is your broadband slow and what can you do about it?

There are many reasons why your internet speed might be sub-par. Here are some of the most common causes, along with solutions you can try to fix the issues yourself.

 

Problem: Not enough bandwidth

Generally speaking, your plan should allow for 5-10 Mbps of download speed per employee using the network.

Solution: Run a speed test, check with your ISP (Internet Service Provider) and increase your bandwidth if necessary.

 

Problem: Using a shared connection

If you’re sharing your bandwidth connection with other users in the area, then your speeds will vary depending on how many others are using the internet at the same time.

Solution: If your budget allows, dedicated internet access (DIA) is always preferable to a shared connection.

 

Problem: One program is hogging the bandwidth

Some programs consume more bandwidth than others, and this can have a huge impact on your broadband speed.

Solution: Check which programs are running that might be using a lot of bandwidth and shut them down if they aren’t necessary.

 

Problem: Undetected viruses or malware

Your internet connection might be slow because of a virus or malware that has gone undetected.

Solution: Make sure you run virus and malware scans regularly.

 

Problem: The router is in the wrong place

Sometimes the router or wireless access point might be in a location where the signal is weak or blocked by obstacles such as thick walls.

Solution: Try repositioning your router or wireless access point to a location where the signal is stronger.

 

Problem: Browser cache is full

Your browser cache is where copies of webpages are stored temporarily so that they load quicker next time. When it becomes too full, it can slow down your internet speed.

Solution: Clear your cache every few months, or at least once or twice a year.

 

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The ultimate solution: high-speed business broadband

Even after trying all of the above solutions, your broadband connection might still be slower than you’d like. If that is the case, it might be time to invest in a professionally managed, high-speed business broadband service.

At One Contact, we offer broadband that caters for the advanced connectivity demands of modern businesses, with speeds of up to 10Gbps and accessible support from our team of experts.

To find out how fast, reliable broadband could enhance every aspect of your business, call us on 01 906 0990, email us at info@onecontact.ie, or get in touch through our website.

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