DIA vs Broadband – Which is Right for your Business?

DIA vs Broadband – Which is Right for your Business?

4 min read | Business

A lot of businesses across the globe today are going to go obsolete without an internet connection. Having a reliable internet connection is vital to the business, its performance, and its scalability. 

The majority of upcoming startups and small businesses may not be aware of the difference between dedicated Internet and broadband, aka a shared internet service.

It is crucial to be aware and to understand that either of the connections can play a massive role in ensuring the reliability and operations of your business, along with its scalability in the future. 

Let’s begin by understanding what a Dedicated Internet Connection (DIA) is and how is it different from a broadband internet connection!

Dedicated Internet Connection

This is a service where the internet service provider dedicates a specific amount of bandwidth for a connection. This bandwidth is private and is not shared with anyone else apart from the particular circuit users. 

A DIA being a dedicated connection, its performance is always reliable and consistent. DIA has numerous types of connections. Some of them are mentioned below:

  • T1 – DS1
  • T3 – DS3
  • Ethernet Over Copper – EoC 
  • Dedicated Fixed Wireless 
  • Dedicated Fiber – EoF, Fast Ethernet, Metro Ethernet 

The right type of internet connection required for your business depends on what your location can accommodate. Every circuit that I’ve mentioned above is priced differently as per the bandwidth requirements and service level agreement (SLA) in the contract. 

When you opt for a DIA, the bandwidth, performance metrics, network latency, service level are guaranteed, making DIA an excellent option for businesses. Moreover, the performance metrics such as the network latency, upload and download bandwidth, the service & repair time frames, etc. are also guaranteed and are agreed upon down in a Service Level Agreement (SLA).

Broadband Internet Connection

Essentially, a broadband connection is a shared network. The network is shared between several users in a locality. The bandwidth offered by a bandwidth connection is much less than that of a DIA. 

The speed and the quality of a broadband connection are not guaranteed as the rate is determined by the ISP’s network traffic and congestion, which varies on a location-to-location basis as well as on the time of the day.

Have you used broadband? You must have noticed that the internet speed during the day isn’t high regardless of your internet service provider (ISP) or plan you’re subscribed to, but at night, it’s excellent! Bandwidth is typically unpredictable, and its performance, to a large extent, is inconsistent. This is partly why ACT does not recommend a broadband Internet connection for any business whose operations require a consistent, 100% reliable, and stable Internet connection. 

Typical broadband Internet connection types include:

  • Wireless
  • DSL
  • Cable
  • Satellite
  • Shared Fiber

The speed of a broadband’s bandwidth is asymmetrical, and that endorses downloads, but then they are pathetic in terms of the uploading speed. Most businesses require an active and swift upload speed rather than a download speed to push the data out to apps, their users, and the cloud

The Difference – DIA vs. Broadband

As we now know how different the performance and consistency of both these internet connections are, there is an emergence of critical contrasts in services. 

When making an informed decision for your company, it is essential to assess your business’s requirements. What does your daily business operation look like, and what will your employees use the Internet for?

Here are the main differences you will find when comparing dedicated Internet vs. broadband connectivity.

Consistent Download and Upload Speeds

One of the primary benefits of a DIA over Broadband is that bandwidth is guaranteed. Moreover, all the downloads, as well as the uploads, are consistent and swift, which enables applications to run smoothly while successfully eliminating the possibility of any slowdowns.

Several businesses face a common problem, i.e., large file uploads. DIA solves this hurdle as it facilitates high speed and low latency. For many industries, time is money, and only DIAs can provide the consistency and reliability to such enterprises.

Better Throughput

What is the first thing you do when you realize that your Internet is running slow? You run a speed test! However, in many cases, the bandwidth speed Mbps is not the only factor responsible for the speed. 

The latency of the network is essentially the speed at which data travels, which means that having a lower latency would evoque a better performance. Also, packet loss plays a vital role in throughput. The lower level of packet loss implies less dropped connections. All these factors together determine throughput and bandwidth performance.

Swift Troubleshooting

A perfect internet connection is a myth—even the best internet connection types witnesses issues. Talking about DIAs and shared connections, there are readily set response times in order to address various issues. 

These time frames for troubleshooting any hurdles are also laid out in the SLAs for a quicker and smoother resolution. For a DIA, the average troubleshooting time is typically less than 4 hours.

What are Your Business Requirements?

Now that we know the difference between DIA and shared connections along with the pros and cons of both, we hope you will be able to make an informed decision.

Make sure you carefully keep into consideration your business size, your requirements in terms of performance, speed, and uptime.

Some essential questions to consider when making a decision:

  • What happens if you undergo an extended outage?
  • Would your employees still be able to operate?
  • What would be the impact on business applications if the internet performance went for a toss?

These are all vital aspects to keep in mind when deciding on a dedicated Internet vs. broadband Internet connection to support your business. 

We are a local and reputable IT service provider for 30+ years. We are committed to helping businesses in Antigua, Barbuda and the other Caribbean islands benefit from best-in-class technology! Contact us at Antigua Computer Technology to talk about the internet requirements of your business. It is our guarantee that will advise on only the best internet solution for your needs.