In the world of broadband, some might be tempted to say “man it’s a jungle out there!” These tough economic times have hit everyone hard—and even the most successful companies are going over their budgets with a fine tooth comb, including what they’re spending on broadband service. As a result, even what may seem an insignificant fact—like suggesting a company might be paying too much for their broadband service is being taken seriously.
And while it’s true that IT Directors still have impossible deadlines, mounting service requests and other “tech issues” piling up on their desks, more than ever the corporate heads expect their IT departments to hack through the “ISP jungle” and find out if there are more savings to be found on the other side as EVERY penny counts these days.
So the question remains, is your company paying too much for broadband service?
On the surface, the most important factor for determining if you’re paying too much is simply taking a closer look at what your internet needs truly are. Are you primarily using the internet for simple email, picture sharing and up to date news, weather and sports? Or do you need to be able to play streaming video on demand and share large picture files within the work environment? If not, you can save a lot of money by down-grading your service to a slower bit rate and check the ISP’s in your area for a cheaper monthly service.
Unfortunately, if your company is operating in the United States, you’re definitely paying more for your broadband service than at least 10 other countries! This is according to a new study by research firm Point Topic, which found Hong Kong to be No. 1 for consumers to access high-speed broadband at a fair price, followed by Japan, Romania, Sweden and Latvia. The United States failed to make a showing in any of the top 10 areas traced by Point Topic for the third-quarter report, “Broadband Tariff Benchmarks.”
However, if you take out the “top 10” factor, and just focus on the U.S. market, there are several factors that come into play regarding the “are you paying too much for broadband” evaluation. For instance, approximately 500 million broadband subscribers were in service around the world in 2010. So, to promote economic development and reduction of the digital divide, national broadband plans from around the world (including the U.S.) promote the universal availability of affordable broadband connectivity; it’s the old and all-to-familiar real estate saying…location, location, location!
If you or your company is stationed in a rural area then one of the great challenges of broadband is to provide service to potential customers in areas of low population density, such as to farmers, ranchers, and small towns with populations of less than 50,000. In cities where the population density is high, it is easier for a service provider to recover equipment costs, but each rural customer may require expensive equipment to get connected. While 63% of Americans had an internet connection in 2009, that figure was only 46% in rural areas; which means….yes…your paying more for broadband if you live in a rural area. But you already knew that if your company resides there!
When searching for a cheaper broadband service, it’s important to detail the total first year cost which will take into account all costs associated with signing up to a broadband package for an initial twelve months – this will not only include monthly subscription, but also any set up or equipment costs, as well as any special offers, discounts or cash back incentives that apply to the package.
By comparing the total first year cost you will get an accurate idea of which providers really do offer a cheaper broadband package.
Is a cheaper monthly broadband service really the right move for you?
It is worth bearing in mind that a cheap broadband package may not be the best package for you or your company. For example, a package that has a relatively low monthly subscription cost may have high set up costs or may require you to buy equipment such as modems and filters. Cheaper broadband packages may also be subject to service restrictions or offer less customer support than packages that cost more.
To make sure you end up with a cheap broadband package that meets your needs, compare all these factors. If you’re already feeling overwhelmed, don’t worry, there’s help. Go to: http://www.telconavigator.com/ and you’ll find expert help in evaluating your needs and sorting through the jungle of ISP’s.
. Make out your shopping list. They at their own expense go to the market for you gathering up all your various items. Making certain to hand select the best product at the best price. They dutifully stand in line at the check out counter making sure any rebates and discounts are applied to your total. Arrange to have your special items delivered to your location. Upon your review they return any items that were unsatisfactory and followed up to see that your account was corrected. All at no cost to you and while you were doing something you prefer to do like run your business! Would you be all over that deal? Of course you would. Additionally consider the fact that if you don’t shop “all the time” how much harder it must be to do it every now and then!