The Importance of Internet Connectivity for SMEs

Today, connectivity to the outside world plays a critical role in the life of an SME. From email to ecommerce, the internet has transformed how businesses do business. It is a good bet that your organisation relies hugely on the internet for a large part of its turnover and customer service… So why then do a large proportion of businesses still not have a connection that is fit for purpose?

Before we get to why you need to do your due diligence on ensuring your internet connection is the right fit for your business, let’s take a step back for a second and look at the juxtaposition that emerges. A 2024 survey showed that 71% of UK business owners believe slow and unreliable broadband is harming their business. However, most businesses are reluctant to pay more than £1 per day for internet connectivity.

If we use that £1 per day figure as a guideline then for that price you will get a connection similar to something designed for your home. And when that goes down everybody knows the pain it inflicts. The kids can’t access YouTube, no Netflix, no online gaming, no ordering a takeaway or logging onto your online bank. The inconvenience is just that ,inconvenient, but ultimately it doesn’t do a huge amount of actual harm.

Now imagine that was your business. You trade the inconvenience of no Netflix or takeaways for the headache and impact of no phone calls, no orders, no customer service, no emails and no business. Depending on your what your business does, the cost could be losses totalling tens of thousands of pounds.

I know what you’re thinking, “that will never happen to me” but the question you need to ask yourself is “am I prepared to risk my business for £1 per day or am I willing to pay a bit more for a robust solution that ensures a situation like the one above never happens”?

Bet the house on black and you save yourself a few quid each month. It comes up red and you possibly lose thousands.

Once you have decided whether or not you need or want to invest in your internet infrastructure, then you might need some help understanding the increasingly large number of technologies, terminologies, and services available on the market when it comes to internet connectivity, but ultimately it is a straight fight between copper and fibre.

Copper vs Fibre

We’d love to spend paragraphs upon paragraphs debating the pros and cons of each, but in truth, the only real winner here is fibre. And if that is the case, then the question has to be, why are we stuck using old traditional copper lines in the UK?

Slowly, too slowly, some might argue, the UK is switching over to a full fibre network but depending on where you live in the UK, this might not be available to you yet. Companies such as Openreach are working towards rolling out full fibre for everyone but currently the figure stands at around 25% to 30% of people and business that have access to it.

In the UK the average broadband speed is 40 Mb. 15, 10 or even 5 years ago this might have been deemed super-fast and you may ask yourself, why do I need full fibre when my old copper line at 40 Mb is more than fast enough? It might have gotten you through in the past, but consider the following:

• In January 2025 the PSTN network was switched off. This means all your voice calls will now have to go over the internet instead of old traditional BT lines.
• Websites are becoming more and more bandwidth hungry
• Customers are demanding more and more access to your business and customer service via the internet instead of more traditional methods such as face-to-face visits
• Teams, video calling, web conferences, online training sessions, and social media all place a much higher burden on your internet connection
• UK data consumption is increasing 52% year on year

It might be that your current connection is just about getting you by, but you may be starting to get an idea, or worse yet, have no idea, that customers and potential new business is going elsewhere because they are struggling to deal with your company online. Simple things like poor call or video quality, a slow website, and poor or slow wireless connectivity can all have an effect on whether customers enjoy their interactions with your business or whether dealing with a competitor might be a better experience.

As we discussed above, only when the worst happens and your business loses its connection to the outside world and therefore its customers, does the value of a robust, reliable, and fast data connection become obvious but by then it can be too late and the horse has already bolted.

When it comes to your business you are based place to know what its needs in the present day and more importantly, in the coming months and years might be, and we can help make sure that no matter what new and data hungry forms of media and customer interaction are coming down the pipeline, you are more than ready to deal with them.

So which option is right for you? From a basic data only internet connection such as SoGEA (the replacement for the old ADSL) right through to your very own 1 Gb leased line we can help provide you with the help and advice to ensure you get the internet connection you and your business require to grow and gain that competitive edge.

In an increasingly digital world, don’t get left behind. Please see our website or get in touch with us for any help, advice, or information you may need.