Which business fibre internet technology is best?

The business world now lives online. Cloud migration, the rise of remote work and online applications such as CRM software are all part of day-to-day operations. And to reap the benefits and future-proof your business against emerging technologies, you need fast, reliable internet.

And business grade fibre is the fastest, most reliable internet connection type available to businesses.

It's the latest and greatest fixed-line broadband technology. But what does that mean for your business?

In this article, we'll unpack everything you need to know about business grade fibre. What it is, and how it could help your business thrive both now and in the future. And of course, we'll also take you through the different fibre internet services, so you can decide which one suits your business best.

What is business fibre internet?

Business fibre internet (also known as business grade fibre) is an internet connection delivered entirely through fibre optic cables. While copper cables transmit data as electrical pulses, fibre optic cables transmit data as light pulses. There’s nothing faster than the speed of light, so fibre optic cables provide the fastest internet speeds available. 

Designed for businesses, business fibre internet offers features that aren't as widely available (and required) in residential internet, such as symmetrical upload and download speeds, guaranteed uptime, and enhanced service level agreements (eSLAs).

It's the latest internet technology, allowing for a faster, more reliable connection compared to older DSL and cable internet delivered over copper wire.

How business fibre internet boosts productivity

High-speed internet is a crucial element of any successful business.

Research by Australia's Bureau of Communications, Arts and Regional Research (BCARR) showed strong links between high-speed broadband and business productivity growth. And the businesses that benefited most were, you guessed it, businesses with fibre internet.

Much of business operations are now dependent on online technologies. The faster the connection, the more productive your business will be. As we continue to roll into the future and embrace emerging technologies, fast business fibre internet will be crucial to keeping your business viable in the changing market.

In the past, high-speed fibre internet was costly to install, meaning it was effectively reserved for large enterprises with the funds to shell out. But times have changed. Now, business fibre internet is widely accessible and affordable for businesses of all sizes.

The benefits of business grade fibre

Low latency

Latency is how long it takes for data to go from one point to another. So, the longer you stare at a white screen or loading circle when you visit a website, the higher the latency. While latency isn't much of an issue when you're going through emails or making a Google search, it's especially important for data-intensive applications such as cloud-based storage, software and videoconferencing apps. In busy periods, high-data websites or applications may take long to load, severely impacting productivity.

The low latency offered by business fibre internet means you and your team will have a seamless experience running business-critical apps, so high traffic doesn't slow down your business.

Symmetrical speeds

In business, you're often uploading as much as you're downloading. From video calls to updating your website and sharing files amongst your team and clients. But most standard internet plans are designed for the download-heavy residential user, and offer significantly faster download speeds. If your business is on one of those standards plans, uploading a file takes around twice as long as downloading it.

Symmetrical speeds available on business fibre internet connections mean you can upload as fast as you download, increasing efficiency.

Committed bandwidth at 1:1 contention ratio

If you've ever worked from home at night (we've all been there at some point in our business journey…), you might have noticed your internet is slower at night than it is during the day. That's because your neighbours are all home, relaxing in front of the TV, playing video games or scrolling social media.

It's the same in the office on a standard connection since you share bandwidth with neighbouring businesses. And if they're uploading a ton of data or dialling into a whole-company videoconference, they're taking a chunk of bandwidth and slowing your internet down in the process.

Aussie Broadband continuously purchases bandwidth, monitors usage and upgrades capacity if usage starters to approach the limit. Again, that’s great for residential services, but businesses rely on consistent bandwidth to stay as productive as possible. 

Business fibre internet can come with committed bandwidth at a 1:1 contention ratio, so your business always has 100% of your connection's bandwidth - even if you’re not using it.

Enhanced Service Level Agreements (eSLAs)

As annoying as it can be, a bit of downtime on a residential internet connection isn't the end of the world. Downtime might even have an upside if your kids pull themselves away from their screens!

But for businesses, downtime comes at a cost to productivity. And if you rely on e-commerce or internet-enabled Point of Sale systems to make sales, downtime puts you out of action completely.

Enhanced Service Level Agreements (eSLAs) help businesses stay online and operational. 

What is an eSLA?

eSLA stands for Enhanced Service Level Agreement and refers to nbn®'s commitment to guaranteed uptime, through providing higher support by rectifying faults within a specified timeframe. eSLAs are one of key features that distinguishes a business-grade nbn™ service from a residential-grade one. An eSLA is essential for businesses to minimise potential service disruption.

Our business fibre internet services come with the option of adding a support package of either a 12-hour, 8-hour or 4-hour eSLA fault rectification timeframe that you can access 24/7.

The different business-grade fibre services

When it comes to upgrading to business fibre internet, you've got three different options: an nbn® Fibre The Premises (FTTP) Upgrade, nbn® Enterprise Ethernet and Aussie Fibre.

Business nbn® FTTP upgrade

If you've got an existing nbn® connection and eligible for fibre internet, you can upgrade your copper-based connection to Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) internet. It's the easiest and most cost-effective way to access business fibre internet.

While FTTP is full fibre, it's still a typical nbn® connection. So you won't be able to get symmetrical speeds and committed bandwidth. You will get the flexibility of no lock-in contracts and better performance on your same speed tier. So if you take advantage of the $0* FTTP upgrade, you'll get a faster, more reliable connection without paying a single cent more for your business internet.

Nbn® Enterprise Ethernet

Want more from your nbn®? Upgrade to the fastest and most reliable technology on the nbn® network.  Enjoy the full benefits of business-grade fibre with symmetrical speeds, an eSLA, a 99.95% uptime guarantee and 24/7 Australian support included in all plans. You also have the option to add dedicated bandwidth.

Aussie Fibre

Are the highest speeds on the nbn still not enough? Our own Aussie Fibre network allows businesses access to ultrafast plans up to 10,000/10,000Mbps. All plans come with symmetrical speeds, dedicated bandwidth, a 99.5% uptime guarantee and 24/7 enterprise support from our expert Australian-based team.

We've invested heavily in our network to give you a full-service business fibre internet solution. So on Aussie fibre, you'll only deal with our awesome 100% Australian-based team and no third parties.

Which business fibre internet connection is right for me? 

Still can’t decide which business fibre internet service to choose? Each business fibre internet technology has its advantages, so it’s a matter of deciding which one will suit your business best. Here's a table outlining the key features of each business-grade fibre service.

Business fibre internet connections compared:

Still not sure which business fibre internet connection technology is best for your business? Get in touch with our Australian-based business internet experts on 1300 480 905, or contact us online. We'll get to know your business and recommend the business fibre internet that best suits your needs.

Why upgrade to fibre internet?

If your business uses the internet for any reason, fibre internet is the fastest, most reliable connection option on offer. So if business efficiency depends on web-based applications, you'll see improvement when you upgrade to fibre internet.

Will I experience downtime while upgrading to fibre internet?

You should only experience minimal downtime when upgrading to fibre internet. We'll install your fibre connection alongside your existing copper connection. That means your existing connection will continue to work during the fibre installation process.

To ensure there is as little downtime as possible, we recommend you keep your existing connection running until your fibre internet connection is fully operational. Your team will only realise you've switched once they start to notice the internet's become faster and more reliable!

What you need to know before upgrading to fibre internet:

Factors affecting business grade fibre internet speed:

While fibre internet isn't prone to some of the typical factors that affect internet speeds, such as electrical interference and the weather. But it's not completely immune to speed impacts. Ferraris still get stuck in traffic sometimes, after all. 

The speeds you receive on business fibre internet may vary due to a number of factors including (but not limited to)

• Your hardware and software's capabilities and configurations.

• The maximum line speed at your premises.

• The type and source of content you download.

Fibre availability:

Unfortunately, fibre internet isn't available Australia-wide just yet.  But that's changing as more premises get added to the nbn® and Aussie Fibre networks. We've got multiple fibre connection technologies, so even if you can't access all business fibre internet options, there's a chance you'll have at least one.

How to check if your area can get business fibre internet

If your business address is eligible for a business fibre internet upgrade, you'll find out on our address checkers.

Check if you can get the nbn® $0 FTTP upgrade.

Check if you can get nbn® Enterprise Ethernet.

Check if you can get Aussie Fibre.

Fibre internet not ready yet? We'll send you an email update as soon as that changes.

How much does upgrading to business fibre internet cost?

Right now, it costs $0* to upgrade to business fibre internet, thanks to the FTTP upgrade program. Fibre install costs would otherwise depend on the size of your site, and complexity of the install, and is typicaly in the thousands.

Of course, the major cost of business fibre internet will be the ongoing cost of your plan. 

What internet speed do I need to have to get an upgrade to business fibre internet? 

If you’re currently on a Fibre to the Node (FTTN) connection, you’ll need a business nbn® plan with a download speed of 100mbps or higher and an upload speed of 40Mbps or higher to access the $0 fttp upgrade. If you’re a Fibre to the Curb (FTTC) customer, you’ll need a business nbn® plan with at least 250mbps download speed to access the $0 fttp upgrade. 

So, if your business nbn plan meets those speeds already, there will be no additional cost to your internet plan once you upgrade to business fibre internet through the fttp upgrade program. If you need to increase your plan to access the fttp upgrade, you can see how much your new business fibre internet plan will cost by viewing our business nbn® plans. 

How to get business fibre internet

Whatever business fibre internet technology you choose, our expert team will be here to help you through the upgrade process. To get started with your fibre upgrade, give us a call today on 1300 480 905.