You know your business needs stable internet, but the information with all of the available options can be overwhelming.
As you research different types of internet circuits, one of the differences you’ll come across is shared vs. dedicated internet circuits.
How can you make the right choice for your business?
Internet circuits fall into one of two categories — dedicated vs. shared.
Dedicated circuits refer to internet connections where you have exclusive access to the connection infrastructure. DSL and fiber optic circuits are two options for dedicated circuits.
On the other hand, shared circuits mean your internet connection uses the same infrastructure as your neighbors. This includes cable and wireless 5G.
While you can connect to the internet with both circuit types, the quality is different.
At The KR Group, we recommend using dedicated circuits to provide the most stability for your business applications.
Some of the differences we point out include:
- Speed
- Reliability
- Availability
- Price
- Candidates
By far, the majority of the time you should choose dedicated circuits. Let’s discuss more about why that is.
Dedicated vs. Shared Connection: Speed
Dedicated circuits, by far, offer a faster connection. 
Shared circuits not only have a slower connection to begin with, but since multiple users connect to the same circuit, you may not even get all of that bandwidth.
Providers know not all users on a shared circuit will be using their maximum bandwidth simultaneously, so they only offer a portion of their network’s total potential demand.
Generally, shared circuits and oversubscription ratios are not evident to users, except during peak internet time. However, dedicated circuits avoid this dilemma altogether.
Dedicated vs. Shared Internet: Reliability
Along with providing faster speeds, dedicated internet circuits also provide more reliable service.
As you’ve already read, shared circuits are prone to volatility since bandwidth is divided among multiple subscribers.
Dedicated circuits provide a steady, stable data stream. This makes them the preference for businesses using solutions that are sensitive to internet slowdowns.
For example, if you rely on VOIP to reach your customers, you need a steady connection to prevent calls from lagging.
Other situations where you should highly consider dedicated circuits over shared include cloud services or high-bandwidth solutions.
Dedicated vs. Shared Internet: Availability
Not only do shared and dedicated internet circuits vary on how bandwidth is divided, but the availability differs as well.
Shared circuits offer an asynchronous connection. This means if you use wireless or cable, your download speed will be faster than your upload speed.
Your upload speed also is not guaranteed. In fact, your contract will likely say something like “up to 20 Mbps upload.”
However, dedicated circuits provide synchronous internet connections. This provides the same upload and download speed, which makes it easier to manage across your business.
Dedicated vs. Shared Internet: Price
The one area where shared circuits have an edge over dedicated ones is the cost.
In general, shared circuit contracts will cost less than a dedicated counterpart.
Price is undoubtedly an essential consideration as you look for an internet contract. However, when considering how much you’ll spend, you should also keep factors, such as productivity and efficiency, in mind.
Additionally, as the technology for dedicated internet circuits becomes more ubiquitous, the price is decreasing. It shouldn’t be so much more expensive permanently.
For more information on the pricing for internet circuits, check out “Internet Circuits Can Cost Less When You Partner with an IT Consultant.”
Dedicated vs. Shared Internet: Candidates
After reading the above information, are you still wondering what type of connection is best for your business?
In almost every case, dedicated circuits are the better option.
The two exceptions for shared circuits are if you’re a small business with fewer than 20 users or if you have very minimal internet needs.
For the majority of organizations, shared connections simply are inadequate.
Finding the Right Connection
Dedicated circuits have many benefits, such as speed, reliability, and availability. However, shared circuits are priced more competitively.
While a shared connection is more expensive, it’s better for connecting your business to mission-critical solutions.
If you need to use VOIP, conduct video conferences, access cloud data, and a whole host of other essential, high data activities, a dedicated internet connection is essential.
For more information about configuring the best internet connection for your business, check out the following articles: