If You Thought Fast Internet Was Impossible, Think Again

Fast internet is key in providing a seamless, cost effective cloud experience.

Connectivity is one of the most often overlooked aspects of cloud strategies. In the excitement about all the opportunities and efficiencies – and there are many – the focus is on choosing the right cloud mix. It should be – but without dependable, fast internet, cloud dependency can land you quickly back down to earth.

Slow Internet and Digitisation

Increasing digitisation means that just about every business in Australia needs fast internet. We’ve seen farms tracking cows to achieve better milk yield, retailers targeting specials to suit individual shoppers, schools sharing learning with counterparts around the globe. Whatever you’re trying to achieve, there are many ways to increase efficiency and improve customer experience.

High-profile internet fails are many, and businesses have become accustomed to speed limitations and downtime. Yet the seemingly cheap ADSL is expensive when you factor in lost opportunity, and it can prevent full adoption of otherwise suitable cloud services.

The Productivity Equation

We’re seeing the problem more frequently in small and medium-sized businesses. To compete in an increasingly tough business environment, slow or unreliable internet is becoming a millstone that weighs down productivity.

Say you’re a small business with ten staff.  If you have a reasonable adoption of cloud services, it is likely that wait times for data and applications from the cloud are making those staff unproductive. Let’s say the average salary is $60,000, so your annual staff payments are $600,000.

Staff payments $600,000 ÷ 12 months = $50,000 wage cost monthly

A 1% productivity loss = $500 per month

A 2% productivity loss = $1,000 per month

The ‘cheap’ ADSL internet is starting to look rather expensive. And that doesn’t take into account lost sales opportunities, and the ability to service more customers.

A Cloud-Friendly Alternative

So how do other businesses do it? With ADSL services being disconnected as the NBN is rolled out, this is a good time to consider your options. Businesses will need to change to either the NBN or to a superior Fibre Business Internet service.

Complicating the issue, a lot of organisations have phone systems that are not compatible or ready for modern VoIP communications. Rather than being forced at the last moment to make a change that risks communication issues, it is better to plan ahead.

Those outside the CBD, or more than 40km from the centre of state capitals, face the greatest challenge. Prices can be higher, services more limited, and speeds slower. Our internet specialists can deliver Fibre Business Internet to most businesses in Australia, though, so high-speed is absolutely possible to make regional organisations competitive. When you factor in the productivity math, seeking out all the options can be a very valuable exercise.

Affordable, fast internet is possible. Plan ahead and compare your options. Talk to our friendly team for a free initial assessment, and we’ll do the math for you.

You can also read our case study on reducing phone and internet costs to learn more.