The Best Business Internet Plans in Canada
By Arthur Dubois | Published on 17 May 2023
The right business internet plan can help boost productivity and stay connected with ease. Internet access is more than a luxury. In today’s economy, businesses of all sizes rely on internet access to track the latest news, secure shareable data, and keep employees and customers connected with each other at all times. But just because you need internet access, doesn’t mean you have to overpay for it.
When it comes time to upgrade, where can you find the best business internet plans in Canada? Do some plans offer more benefits and bundles than others? When you need support, which companies will answer the phone and help your team get connected again?
Deciding on an internet service provider to help your business move forward isn’t an easy decision to make. That’s why we’ve done the research to help you find the best business internet plans in Canada.
The best business internet plans in Canada
If you’re ready to step up to the additional power of business internet, there are many different plans available. But between a combination of benefits and price, these three companies offer the best business internet plans in Canada.
Bell
With fibre internet available throughout the provinces, Bell Fibe internet is one of the fastest connections available. Their top-tier product, Gigabit Business Fibe, offers unlimited monthly usage with online protection and support, including data backup and 24/7 Canadian-based technical support. Businesses can sign up for $109.95 per month with a three-year contract.
Rogers
Another giant of Canadian telecom, Rogers offers fibre internet with continual backup plans. With 99.999% uptime and continual DDoS protection, their Gigabit fibre plan costs $119.99 per month with a three-year contract. For $70 more, businesses can get the “always up” assurance of having LTE wireless backup and a business-grade Wi-Fi system.
Telus
For businesses just starting out or preparing for a move, Telus offers flexible fibre internet at terms that make sense for your business. With a three-year contract, Telus offers gigabit fibre service for $100 per month, featuring two dynamic IP addresses. If you aren’t ready to sign a contract, they also offer a no-term option, with the promotional pricing for up to six months.
What’s the difference between residential and business internet?
As the name suggests, residential internet plans are designed to serve homes across Canada, with a wide range of services ranging from telephone to television packages.
While residential internet service can include fibre service and speeds over 1 gigabit per second, these plans often do not incorporate the complex data needs businesses have.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, business internet plans are often installed in offices, warehouses, and retail shops. In addition to offering just fast internet speeds, business plans may also include enhanced cyber security and uptime options to keep businesses and their data connected to their customers.
Internet business plans also offer benefits that are specifically targeted to business users, including advanced analytics data, online protection reports, and dedicated outsourced IT teams to help them manage their businesses.
Does fibre offer the same speed as business internet?
With the rapid expansion of fibre internet, it seems that nearly everyone can sign on for blazing-fast internet speeds and expanded bandwidth. Although fibre internet offers the same speeds as business internet, it does not offer the same level of service.
Business internet plans often come with a dedicated set of resources, including support teams and backup systems. If something goes wrong with your internet or connected devices, one call may be able to fix your problems.
To cover the cost of the additional resources, business internet plans often come with a higher price. And while the increased level of service is great, does it justify paying more for additional services? It all depends on your business, where you are running it from, and how much you value the additional services.
Can I get business internet at my residence?
If you run a home-based business, you may be looking for some of the benefits of a business internet connection at your home. Depending on where you live, internet service providers may offer a business-level connection at your location.
But before converting your home internet to a powerful, all-inclusive business speed, it’s important to determine if it’s right for you. To start, take a look at what you may be running from home.
How are you using the internet?
If you are simply running a business computer, streaming and gaming, then you may not necessarily need the power and extra expense of a business internet plan. However, if you plan on running an outbound server from your home, or need connectivity at all times – even when things go down – then a business internet plan may be a smart investment for your business.
Compare business vs residential features
Second, consider all the options that a business internet plan offers, and determine how much benefit you would gain from them. If you are operating a small business out of your home, you may not need IT support on standby, or solutions to connect multiple people together. If you can string some of those services together like e-mail, video conferencing and internet security software, you may be able to save money with a residential internet plan.
Consider your bandwidth needs
Finally, consider just how much internet you will be using every month, and how that might affect your bandwidth. Because of their commercial application and additional resources, business internet plans often have additional bandwidth built in, meaning you won’t experience a lower internet speed after hitting your residential internet “unlimited” threshold. If you plan on running servers from your home, or have multiple computers working online all day, you will benefit from the additional power of a business internet plan.
