It seems like a b no brainerb .B The cable internet provider offers 16 Mbs of bandwidth for less than $100.B And, in many cases, it is a b no brainerb but it is not likely to meet all your needs.
I regularly field questions from potential customers asking for more bandwidth than theyb re currently getting from their cable company.B Based on a limited understanding, they feel like they need more than 20 Mbs (if theyb re getting 16 Mbs of service currently) since their current service is too slow.
The problem is that 16 Mbs of cable is not the same as 16 Mbs of dedicated service.B The cable service provider might offer a service level of 16 Mbs down and 2 Mbs up.B If youb re just downloading a movie from NetFlix, that might work fine.B Try running a VPN over cable and you will have a very different experience.
So, when considering cable as an internet option, you need to review what you primarily use your internet service provider for.B Are you just sending e-mail and browsing the internet or do you have one or more critical business services that is accessed online?B And, if you need internet service for access, is it critical that your data speed be bi-directional?
One of the other service offerings that cable companies are promoting now is a voice PRI.B For some companies, this is a good alternative.B For others, not so much.B In fact, a PRI from a cable company can cost substantially more than a PRI from a carrier b and, remember, itb s delivered on coax cable on a network with no SLA!
Now, as I mentioned, there are situations where combining cable and phone service makes great sense.B It just isnb t EVERY situation.B For most businesses, their phone is a b life lineb .B Cut it off and they sink.
The decision to trust a cable company with your internet and voice services should not be made lightly!
