Understanding what high speed Internet service really means

It can be a bit slippery, because what is fast for e-mail can seem Jurassic if you're trying to download images and impossible for Web telephone use or videoconferencing. And, of course, five people online use less broadband Internet capacity, or bandwidth, than 50 at a time. But, there are a couple of rules of thumb.

I recommend: Dial-up is dead and gone, from a business perspective. DSL or Cable is acceptable for most ordinary office tasks. A T1 line, at 1.544 megabits per second (Mbps) is a good standard speed for broadband Internet, capable of handling an office full of users. A T3 line (equal to 28 T1s at a time) is appropriate to intensive video and telephone traffic. See a table on the relative speeds at Hostile.org.

Check the speed of your current business broadband Internet

No matter what your service level agreement (SLA) says, your actual broadband Internet speed will vary dramatically. Take a look at the speed of your current contracted high speed Internet service from time to time and if huge discrepancies appear, call up your sales person.

I recommend: Check your broadband Internet service using the highly graphic and easy to use SpeedTest.net or the geekier but more complete CNET Bandwidth Tester.

Broadband Internet service keeps teleworkers' connections secure

So you have a grip on your actual capabilties. So what? Well, one of the advantages of business broadband is connecting to work from home or on the road. You'll need a virtual private network (VPN), a kind of secure tunnel between the external PC and the office network, and high speed Internet service to make it work best.

I recommend: Your network will need to operate at DSL speeds at a minimum to run a VPN over your broadband Internet service, and even then the speed must be consistent where you are connecting from as well. Microsoft and Cisco Systems tech support offer plenty on how VPNs work. Talk with broadband Internet providers as well about VPN or consider a VPN contractor from the Business.com directory.

Using your broadband Internet service for Web and e-commerce

Most business broadband companies will try to sell you what's called a static IP, a kind of permanent address on the Web. This allows your company to host its Web site on your own servers, taking hits from outside the company, as well as manage your own e-mail. A static IP address also allows your company to make long-distance phone calls using broadband Internet service, more cheaply.

I recommend: If you have more than 100 employees online, a busy Web site and do a lot of e-mail, consider a static IP. See more advantages of a static IP at high speed Internet service vendors including Verizon, Time Warner and Voicenet. See additional resources at the Business.com directory of broadband Internet providers.

High speed Internet service can make you your own Ma Bell

Doing your own thing with Web based phone calls, known as Voice over Internet protocol, or VoIP, can be a big savings compared to making calls through a normal phone carrier. It's more trouble, too, to administer, but if your company is already running lots of servers for other reasons, a pricier high-speed connection can actually save you money.

I recommend: Compare service plans from broadband Internet providers like Optimum, Covad, Lingo and major telecoms, including XO, AT&T and Sprint. See more choices on VoIP telephone services at Business.com

Broadband Internet providers and sharing data

The Web is moving quickly to integrate telecommuters and far-flung offices with the main office. Part of the equation is with Web conferencing software and virtual white boards, along with broadband Internet service.

I recommend: High speed Web is absolutely required for video that's not herky-jerky, and meeting software increasingly is Web based, so using it implies a reliably fast connection, too. Take a look at GoToMeeting, Webex and Microsoft Sharepoint. More options on Web conferencing can be found at Business.com