Finally, the “Information Superhighway” Has Arrived

In 1994, an adorable 12-year-old Anna Paquin introduced us all to the idea of the internet in a Super Bowl ad for MCI.

Only no one knew what to call the internet back then – so she and MCI dubbed it the “Information Superhighway.” No one watching the Super Bowl that year had any idea what she was talking about.

At the time, those few people on the internet and perhaps sending email were all doing it via dial-up access, a 128k computer and maybe a CompuServe account. So while it was fun and new it was hardly fast. Especially for business.

“Its limit will be,” she promised, “the speed of light.”

While it took 20 years to get here, today’s Information Superhighway really operates on light, with fiber-optic networks enabling the introduction of the gigabit internet.

What Does 1 Gig Internet Mean for Your Business?

Everything.

Consider how you were doing business five years ago. Think about how you’re doing business today. Then imagine how you’ll be doing business just five short years from now. Things change fast, and your need for instant, reliable connectivity will only grow.

Nielsen’s Law of Internet Bandwidth states that the average internet user’s bandwidth needs grow 50% every year. If your business currently utilizes a 50/10 Mbps download/upload bandwidth connection utilizing copper coaxial cables, then within five years your needs will be more along the lines of 325/75 Mbps.

Still manageable, certainly. But now imagine your customers all have “fiber-to-the home” and are operating at 1 Gigabit (1 Gbps). And so are your competitors. The implications for a gigabit internet connection are obvious.

Efficiency, Mobility & Disaster Recovery

Even if you can’t envision your business growing significantly over the next five years, how you work and how you use the internet will change. Greater and greater speed will be required to efficiently serve customers, enable a remote workforce and protect your data from natural and man-made disasters.

Savvy business owners are already researching the pros and cons of Gigabit internet. The following covers the benefits, but not the disadvantages of Gigabit internet, mainly because there are none!

• With the advent of “fiber-to-the-home,” more and more consumers will expect online, real-time customer service and collaboration. Live chat and customer service will become video-based.
• Remote employees will need fast, secure, reliable access to voice, video and data. A large employee population needing access simultaneously in real-time will only accentuate the need for the speed of fiber.
• Files are getting bigger and harder to share. Witness the move by many businesses to cloud computing and storage. With billing, HR and other operational departments relying on the cloud, an ultra-reliable, ultra-secure fiber-optic connection becomes essential.
• Cloud-based applications, which make it easier to use and upgrade business software, are memory-intensive and will only grow in features and required bandwidth and computing power.
• Even today, with employees using multiple simultaneous connections (smartphones, tablets and laptop/desktop), the quality of your broadband connection is essential. At the very least, you need an ultra-reliable Wi-Fi connection.
• Video conferencing, video streaming, webinars, collaboration and communication among multiple locations – fiber makes it all easier with speeds 100 times faster than basic broadband.

And let’s not forget one of the key fiber-optic network advantages – fiber represents a dedicated line from your business to the internet, unlike today’s DSL or Cable. A dedicated line provides enhanced data security, uninterrupted service and a perfectly consistent speed. It was made for business.

Learn More

Contact a Cable ONE Business Fiber Adviser today to learn more about fiber solutions from 10 Mbps to 10 Gbps at 855.555.5555.

Ensure your company’s bandwidth connection supports your success and growth.