Unlimited Data? Not So Much. Here’s What You Need to Know

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To be successful, companies today need more bandwidth and with higher reliability than ever before. Whether you’re an SMB or a large enterprise, your business requires agile and effective connections to supplement wired network access and to provide coverage in areas that lack wired access. The growing need for remote cloud access, IoT, and increasingly mobile employees, means that businesses need a new foundation for building a truly ‘connected organization.’ 4G LTE and LTE-A are ideal technologies for supporting a connected organization because the solutions provide lightning-fast Internet connectivity, regardless of where connectivity is needed. While most 4G LTE business-grade solutions are multi-carrier to ensure that networks are always-on and applications are always available, carriers’ so-called ‘unlimited’ data plans leave much to be desired. The fact is, plans advertised as unlimited are, in reality, far from it. Performance in real-world conditions varies greatly, and it’s hard to know if advertised speeds are delivered consistently.

When evaluating data plans and 4G LTE options, organizations need to ask smart questions to determine if the wireless connectivity and data plans will work for their needs. For example:

  • Are there any usage limitations or application limitations on the data plan?
  • Can the 4G LTE service plans be used in a router or device or just a tablet or phone?
  • Can users run business applications like cloud-based UC, VoIP or VPN using these data plans?  Is there throttling at a threshold?

Let’s go over the best use-cases for 4G LTE and learn more about how to determine carriers’ unlimited data hype from reality.

  • Great for enterprise edge connectivity – When conventional wired connections aren’t available, 4G LTE connectivity solutions provide reliable, flexible, and easy to manage connectivity solutions to support data-rich applications. Companies that have remote locations, or those in retail, food, and beverage, or others with branch networks, mobile networks, or IoT may benefit from 4G wireless. Wireless routers can also provide reliable internet for remote and temporary locations, such as fairs or events, or interactive media applications, industrial sites, and more. Putting together the right 4G LTE routers with the right data plan can also support sophisticated networks at the edge and make consistent connectivity possible for organizations of any size and nearly any application or vertical.
  • Business continuity guaranteed – When primary wired networks go down businesses are at tremendous risk. Without backup internet in place, organizations can miss out on critical sales, miss deadlines, accrue penalties, and irritate customers – all of which can impact revenue in the short term and long term. 4G LTE plans can help customers avoid these pains and minimize risks across their organization. On top of that, 4G LTE married with the right data plans can help customers stay connected to the internet, plus provide access to VoIP applications and data networks no matter what.
  • More flexibility to pool data – One of the primary benefits of 4G LTE for WAN network access is that it provides hugely flexible connectivity options for business customers compared with traditional wired line connections. As organizations expand their connectivity needs requiring internet access for everything from remote offices to kiosks and IoT devices, 4G LTE is the clear winner because it provides users access to a shared data pool needed to support all of these business applications in the most effective and efficient way possible.

As a trusted technology partner, customers will be looking to you to answer critical questions about what 4G LTE solutions are optimal and which carriers and data plans they can trust. Luckily, you have Broad Sky Networks on your side! We offer 4G LTE options that your customers will love and that will meet their demands for connectivity across the enterprise. Contact us to learn more about why LTE is the connectivity choice for many enterprises to support data-rich applications and to provide highly reliable, flexible, and easy to manage the internet. We’ll help you understand which 4G LTE data plans are the best and show you how these plans perform in the real world. Your customers with thank you!

Business-class Satellite Internet and Why It’s Brilliant!

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For those of us living and working in developed and densely populated areas, we sometimes take for granted the fact the broadband internet is as ubiquitous as a Starbucks on every corner. But the truth remains that for many businesses operating in remote or rural areas, broadband internet options may be few and far between. Slow and unreliable internet or even providers that promise the delivery of DSL, cable, or 4G/LTE often fail to come through within required timelines. These missed deadlines by providers can wreak havoc on project timelines and client deliverables. For those opening branch offices, remote retail locations, or temporary work sites like a construction job site, broadband internet is critical for everyday activities.

Whether your organization requires access to business-critical SaaS applications, VoIP, VPN, Point of Sale (PoS) applications, Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication or Internet of Things (IoT) device connectivity, reliable broadband has evolved from a nice-to-have to a must-have. Fast, dependable broadband connectivity is also the lifeblood of the business, bringing teams together to support better decision making and to drive new levels of customer service delivery.

Business-grade satellite – reaching where other broadband can’t

The beauty of enterprise-grade satellite broadband solutions today is that there are flexible plans available with top satellite service carriers. The trick is to find a technology partner that can help build a customized satellite internet solution and service that fits specific business needs− without overpaying, getting locked into a long contract or signing up for services that can’t meet demands for speed and usage. When looking for a high-quality satellite broadband solution, look for partners and technology that can deliver fast speeds and path diversity with continuous coverage across the US. Let’s take a closer look at what options to consider when evaluating business-grade satellite services.

  • Reliable mobile broadband or backup solutions- Whether the organization requires highly-reliable primary connectivity, mobile broadband, internet at a remote location, or a comprehensive backup solution for business continuity or disaster recovery, business satellite services can meet these demands. Satellite internet with 4G LTE connections can keep employees and equipment connected in challenging terrains or environments. Brilliant Broadband Satellite options from Broad Sky Networks, for instance, have built-in path diversity to ensure a reliable connection that can handle spikes in traffic, wherever work is getting done. Be sure to ask providers if they can deliver uncongested, low-latency data transmission, for optimal speed, performance, and reliability.
  • Fast speeds and high-usage options- Unlike satellite options of the past, next-generation business-grade satellite solutions can reach speeds up to 25Mbps x 3Mbps. High usage plans are also now available allowing for 500GB and over per month. Together, these speeds, usage plans and bandwidth delivered with satellite provide enough capacity for users to connect into collaboration apps, share video or easily share large data files. Also, be sure to avoid expensive overage fees by asking providers about data limits. Broad Sky Networks offers ‘anytime data’ and no hard data limits on usage. Instead of incurring huge, unexpected costs due to high internet usage for a particular month, with Broad Sky Networks satellite, internet access remains available at reduced speeds until the next billing cycle. Look for these smarter satellite features and capabilities to efficiently bring together distant teams for frictionless collaboration, instead of spending time worrying about exceeding data caps.
  • Reliable M2M and IoT connectivity- The right satellite broadband solution can keep users connected to their internet-powered devices and can provide access to real-time data exchange from machine-to-machine, to equipment or other applications. The extensive coverage and high-speed of satellite-delivered by Broad Sky Networks can help organizations ensure consistent connectivity and maintain tighter control over assets. This might include monitoring solutions at a construction site, solar farm, or an oil and gas drilling site or another power-generation facility that relies on SCADA solutions to monitor industrial processes and equipment.
  • Look for built-in Wi-Fi– Depending on business requirements, and it may be important to look for satellite options with built-in Wi-Fi capabilities. Broad Sky’s Brilliant Broadband solution comes with an integrated Wi-Fi Modem that includes a modem Wi-Fi router. Dual-band 802.11ac technology delivers a stable and secure wireless connection across the business so users can use smartphones and mobile devices to access the applications they need most, wherever they are working. Ask providers for those devices that include integrated business-grade modems which are designed to provide the highest level of performance, reliability, and security for 24×7 business-critical applications.

Talk to BroadSky Networks today about how Brilliant Broadband advanced satellite options can keep your organization connected and thriving with reliable internet connectivity. Advanced satellite technology offered from Broad Sky Networks can help businesses with mobile connectivity, remote office deployments, temporary job sites, and much more. If you’d like to learn more about how Broad Sky Networks can help take your business to the next level, email us or give us a call at (877) 291-9575.