Did you know that the internet has 4 grades?

Does internet work differently for businesses? Isn’t it the same as using the normal internet? Most people think it is but the answer is NO! Business internet is not just internet. In fact, the internet only makes up a branch of Business Internet.

How does business benefit from internet?

Business internet refers to how businesses use the internet to enhance the operation of their daily business. It provides both connection and connectivity for business owners to interact with each other even at long distance. Read on to find out why businesses need to know about the features of the 4 internet grades.

4 reasons to prove that Business Internet is more than just the internet.

Moving on, this article will further explore the benefits of the 4 internet grades. Business internet is made up of 4 different grades, namely Fibre broadband, GPON, Ethernet and Metro Ethernet.

1) Fibre Broadband

Fibre broadband utilises fibre optic cable that allows the transferring of data from 1 location to another in a short period of time. Fibre broadband may sound familiar to many people as it is commonly used in homes and businesses. For example, SingTel provides fibre broadband service for customers to achieve stable internet connection even at a largely exposed area. This makes it ideal also for businesses that need wide coverage.

There are several benefits of fibre broadband such as speed, strength of connectivity and latency.

Speed

Fibre broadband is able to provide an ultra-high-speed of up to 500Mbps which enables efficiency of business operations and large data transfers that are dependent on the internet.

Strength of connection

Strength of connection refers to the ability to have a reliable connection regardless of location in the premises, which enables smoother processes at work.

Latency

Latency refers to delays that occur when processing data over the internet. Fibre-optic Internet helps to decrease latency issues that users may experience on cable Internet, especially when downloading, uploading of high-definition files.

2) GPON

GPON is Gigabit Passive Optical Network for short. One of GPON functions is being able to transmit Ethernet to the desired area. In addition, it is also a robust device that allows users to achieve high-speed internet connections. GPON provides the ability to combine several services onto a single fibre transport network. The benefits of using GPON include minimising cost for the infrastructure with increased and better bandwidth.

Cost

GPON utilises passive optical splitter which covers the connection to desired areas without making use of more than one device for a large area. This results in lower costs with up to 1Gbps speed. Thus, having 1 GPON in a room is sufficient to provide stable connection for users especially for businesses with many employees.

Infrastructure

GPON system includes an optical line terminal (OLT) that connects several optical network terminals (ONTs) together using a passive optical distribution network (ODN). It takes up lesser space to place the devices.

Bandwidth

GPON offers an increased bandwidth at a low cost. It provides a service coverage of up to 20km that is also capable to overcome any obstacle such as twisted pair cables and decreased network nodes.

3) Ethernet

Ethernet refers to connecting computers together to a local area network or LAN. Ethernet is more common to people as it is was one of the first few traditional inventions that eased the process of providing a connection for people to use. Yet it still has many benefits for today’s business environment, including providing reliable, secure and energy efficient connectivity. For example, Ethernet actually provides faster connection as compared to Wi-Fi. This is due to its use of cables that connect to a particular TV, computer, etc.

Find out more: Watch to find out how does Ethernet work?

Reliability

When properly set up, Ethernet provides reliable connections to devices without disrupting the user experience. It transmits connections almost immediately at speeds of up to 10 Gbps when using cabled Ethernet.

Security

Ethernet also guarantees security as it makes it harder for the system/connection to be hacked. When users use Ethernet for their wired network, the only way for intruders to have access to the connection is by physically plugging their device to the main router which is harder to do without getting caught!

Energy efficient

Lastly, Ethernet is a good source of connection as it utilises energy efficiently. The use of cables consumes less energy as compared to using Wi-Fi connections. This is because Ethernet has a network cable called Category 6 (Cat6) which is used as an infrastructure for network. The Cat6 cable comes in different lengths up to 100m. As a result, users enjoy greater mobility than if using shorter cables while still experiencing increased performance of up to 250 MHz.

4) Metro Ethernet

Metro Ethernet which is also referred to as Metropolitan area network, allows connectivity for a large group of users with an extended internet coverage. Many businesses use Metro Ethernet because it serves several functions such as connecting residential businesses/subscribers to the internet, allow multicast delivery which is essential for video conferencing, etc. Hence, this will greatly benefit users with improved scalability, quality of service and ease to use.

Scalability

Metro Ethernet is compatible for speed connection that is up to 1Gbps. Users are given the choice to increase bandwidth without having to purchase or install any new equipment.

Quality of service

Quality of service is guaranteed when using Metro Ethernet as it has a reliable Ethernet operation that is able to detect any connection failures that is experienced by users. To add on, it also supports features of the business environment such as transferring of data.

Easy to use

Metro Ethernet make use of networks that are less complex to set up as it has a few equipment needed only. It is also easier to deal with, to maintain the network connection. As a result, it also reduces cost of equipment and ownership.

In addition, a case study done by Cisco, a well known technology company found out that the use of Metro Ethernet positively impacts businesses. Cisco has published a case study demonstrating the suitability and benefits to businesses in technical terms.

Summary

There are various articles that have been written to create awareness on the use of the various grades of business internet.

For example, SingTel, the largest mobile network provider in Singapore, also recommended business to opt for Metro Ethernet. SingTel provided a list of features that Metro Ethernet have to offer and also the benefits. It also further elaborates the types of businesses that will benefit from using Metro Ethernet. For example, for those who require a strong and committed connection to Data Centre or Cloud.

In another article, Megapath, a fusion company, supports the adoption by businesses of Ethernet. To add on, many companies/offices are still using Ethernet to provide connection as they feel that it fits their business environment.

To sum it all up, there are advantages and disadvantages when using the various grades of internet available. Depending on the nature of the business and connectivity required, there is definitely a particular internet grade that would be suitable.

You can read more on the internet grades by visiting the Netpluz website! It is a transforming Managed Communications Service Provider that helps client become more agile by simplifying their Information and Communications Technology (ICT) needs. It started in 2015 and provide a variety of IT solutions for business such as Data, Voice, Video, Mobility, Analytics and Cyber Security.

Author: Nurul Aishah Binte Khuzairi

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