There are also so-called ‘fixed wireless’ solution that work between two fixed points, essentially bypassing the existing fixed-line network used by ADSL.. Fixed wireless systems are a speciality of Sydney-based BigAir, which uses a technology called WiMax (which is a significant upgrade to existing WiFi wireless technology in terms of distance and signal strength) to achieve wirelessly what would otherwise require a physical connection.
According to BigAir chief executive Jason Ashton, the technology can be installed in under a day, and as there are no fixed connections.
“If you are moving office, you’re beholden to a number of different service providers to get things done,” Ashton says. “One of the attractions of our service is we are end-to-end. We just pick the box up off the roof and move it down the road.”
There are also a number of value-added services that an ISP can provide, such as hosting of a website and e-mail service, or providing off-site storage and back-up. Muscat says Pacific Internet is also getting a strong response from small businesses to its managed services, which looked after the client’s on-premises access equipment (known as a router) and handle aspects of their security, such as managing their firewall.
Muscat says support generally is a key consideration, too, and advises potential clients to call around and test the time taken by would-be suppliers to answer technical support queries. He says it is also important that the service provider owns their own network, rather than just reselling someone else’s, as this ensure that the service can scale as the business grows.
Product manager at ISP Internet, Jim Kellet, says a static IP address (a fixed way of finding a computer on the internet) is also a desirable option for many businesses, as it allows them to access their office computers from across the internet.
“It’s quite a characteristic of the sole trader that they are often out from the office but they need to get remote access back to it, and the static IP address enables that,” Kellet says.
He says many small business operators are not necessarily tied to one location, so Internode offers additional features such as the iPass service for international roaming to help business owners connect with their office resources regardless of where they are.
Another question that businesses need to answer when selecting an ISP is whether to take a bundled package from a multi-service provider, such as a telecommunications company, or opt for a dedicated ISP. Telecommunications companies generally offer increasing discounts as each service, such as long-distance calling or mobile phones services, are bundled together into a single package with a single bill.
“On the surface of it is a fairly attractive deal, but if you drill into what they are getting then they’re still paying too much,” Kellet says. “From a business perspective it’s worth spending a bit more time to deconstruct the bundle and see whether you couldn’t just cherry-pick better services individually.”
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