Sharing is caring, but only sometimes. When it comes to your business’s Internet access, having your own connection presents a significant upside.
There are many benefits to dedicated Internet access (DIA), which we’ll explain below.
What Is Dedicated Internet Access (DIA)?
When you sign up with most major Internet service providers (ISP), you typically join a shared network with other subscribers. In contrast, Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) provides a dedicated connection exclusively for your house, office, or business, ensuring that it isn’t shared with anyone else.
While DIA can be more expensive than a shared connection, it offers significant advantages. With a dedicated connection, you don’t have to compete for bandwidth, making it ideal for businesses that need reliable and consistent internet performance. This is particularly beneficial for activities like streaming video calls or uploading and downloading large files. For businesses, DIA ensures smooth and uninterrupted connectivity, enhancing productivity and efficiency.
How Does Dedicated Internet Access Work?
DIA provides businesses with their own circuit, creating a one-to-one connection between the business and its Internet service provider. However, there are different types of technologies, which can have an impact on speed and reliability.
Examples of different connection types include:
- Fiber optic
- Fixed wireless
- Ethernet
DIA can be configured to connect multiple business locations to a central hub, which then connects to the ISP’s core network. This setup results in a single, dedicated circuit for the entire business network, making sure that no outsiders can access it.
Shared Internet access is like flying commercial, where delays can occur due to maintenance or traffic. On the other hand, dedicated Internet access is like owning a private airport runway that ensures uninterrupted takeoffs and landings.
Benefits of Dedicated Internet Access for Businesses
Maybe you’re not convinced that DIA is right for you. Before making any decision, it’s imperative to understand the main benefits.
Guaranteed Bandwidth
Sharing a circuit means you share bandwidth, which can seriously slow down your performance. If too many users attempt to transfer large quantities of information simultaneously, your connection will lag.
Usually, such delays occur during prime business hours, when tasks like customer communication, conference calls, and file-sharing need to be handled expeditiously. However, these delays can happen at any time.
DIA guarantees no bandwidth sharing, meaning you can rely on consistent speeds. For example, GeoLinks’ ClearFiber ™ offers high-speed DIA, delivering guaranteed speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second nationwide.
Improved Uptime and Reliability
If a network becomes overloaded you can experience an outage, which can turn away potential customers, damage your business’s reputation, and come with a hefty financial toll.
With DIA, you get a more reliable network that drastically reduces the odds of harmful downtime. However, for your peace of mind, you must check the provider’s service-level agreement (SLA) to see if it guarantees the performance levels that meet your business needs and expectations. For example, GeoLinks ensures its reliability by using a Layer 2 Network Solution that operates at the data link layer of the multi-layered communication model known as Open Systems Interconnection (OSI)— so if one goes down, there’s more within the network to power your Internet service. Additionally, GeoLink’s Layer 2 Transport Solution efficiently moves data across physical links in the network, ensuring fast and reliable connectivity.
Enhanced Security Features
Digital security is a major concern, and the cost of a single data breach averages out to $4.45 million. The private nature of DIA is also more secure, allowing administrators to set strict access controls for those allowed into the network. Shared connections are much less secure and don’t let you monitor network devices, making them more likely to have sensitive data or files intercepted and held for ransom.
Additionally, if your digital infrastructure deals with large influxes of data or expects wide-scale growth in the future, DIA ensures you can fortify your network.
Potential Use Cases for Dedicated Internet Access
Certain businesses require DIA more than others. Large corporations with nationwide offices supporting thousands of users may benefit from DIA. In the same way, a small business with five employees who require reliable, high-speed, lower latency Internet access would also be a good fit for DIA.
Some areas that may necessitate DIA include:
- High-volume data transfers: DIA is vital for industries like finance and medicine, which handle large quantities of sensitive information.
- Cloud computing: DIA allows businesses to upload information to data banks reliably and without interruption.
- Remote work environments: DIA is best for managing remote workforces that require stable connections for collaborative work and video conferencing.
- VoIP services: DIA supports higher-quality communication, with guaranteed uptime and low latency.
Choosing the Right Dedicated Internet Access Provider
Not all DIA circuits and SLAs deliver the same quality and reliability. Service quality varies depending on the provider, and it’s up to you to consider these elements as you research potential providers.
Always ask about a provider’s SLA, as this is what legally ensures the scope of services, meaning that the claims outlined aren’t just speculative or approximations. If you’re considering a DIA provider, ask these questions to understand what its SLA guarantees:
- What are the guaranteed speeds for your Internet service?
- Does your service offer multipoint redundancy?
- What is your guaranteed uptime percentage?
- Do you offer 24/7 network availability and customer service?
- What type of technological options do you offer for your DIA plans?
Implementing Dedicated Internet Access for Your Business
After you’ve done your research, you’ll have to coordinate with your provider to achieve the smoothest transition possible.
Once you’ve signed a contract, you’ll have to speak with the customer service team and schedule a time for implementation. There might even be a period of downtime as you switch your services over, so plan ahead to carve out an interval of time in which the potential downtime will be the least costly.
After successfully migrating to DIA, monitor the network’s performance, including upload and download speeds and uptime. If these metrics don’t match up with the SLA, immediately reach out to the provider’s customer service team.
If you’re looking for some of the best DIA options in the country, consider GeoLinks. Our ClearFiber™ high-speed dedicated Internet access is one of the leading solutions in California and Nevada. We can have you up and running in as little as 4-7 business days with a DIA ClearFiber™ circuit backed by our industry-leading SLA and award-winning 24/7 in-house customer support.
See for yourself why we’re recognized as one of the best in the business. We’d be happy to schedule a call, where you can speak to a member of our sales team about how you can start your journey toward faster, safer, and more reliable Internet access.
