SLA versus non-SLA Bandwidth: What Every Business Owner Needs to Know
SLA versus non-SLA Bandwidth: What Every Business Owner Needs to Know
Like electricity and water, Internet access has become an essential business utility and our reliance on it grows daily. One key point to consider when looking at Internet connection is whether there is a Service Level Agreement (SLA). Without an SLA defining the level of service sold to a customer, there is no guarantee of performance or repair when the service is interrupted.
While some business owners opt for non-SLA bandwidth because the price of non-SLA Internet connections are lower than SLA bandwidth, they quickly discover in the long run, non-SLA bandwidth is actually more costly due to loss of productivity from slow speeds, network downtime, and repair time.
Most business owners take advantage of various web-based communication and productivity tools to expand the reach of their company, connect with clients, and improve the efficiency of their workforce. While these applications are highly effective, they only work as well as your Internet connection. When a business owner is faced with the decision whether to choose SLA or non-SLA bandwidth, which is the better option for web-based business applications and why?
Reasons to Choose SLA Bandwidth
Service level agreement bandwidth offers business owners with a specified level of Internet speed for a fixed price. Additionally, SLA bandwidth guarantees performance and network reliability— with 99.99% uptime, which ensures your workforce has the Internet connection and speed needed so business applications work smoothly. An SLA Internet Connection also provides QoS (Quality of Service) for voice service (VoIP) to guarantee voice traffic prioritization and the highest call quality.
The Pitfalls of Non-SLA Bandwidth
While non-SLA Internet connections may be less expensive than SLA bandwidth services, there are some pitfalls of choosing non-SLA bandwidth service. For example, the speed of the Internet connection is not guaranteed. In fact, non-SLA Internet connection is also called “Best Effort” connection, meaning that the service provider does not guarantee the service will even work in regard to speed and up time. When the Internet service is down, a non-SLA service has no guarantee for repair time required to restore service. This puts the productivity of your workforce at risk.
To learn how your business can benefit from SLA bandwidth, contact the business Internet experts at Natural Wireless.