6 Problems with Internet Circuits (and How IT Consulting Companies Solve Them)

internet circuit problems

All businesses rely on a solid internet connection.

Unfortunately, necessity doesn’t always correlate with excellent service.

Whether you’re looking for a new Internet Service Provider (ISP), better speed, or lower prices, updating your internet circuits will bring you closer to your networking goals.

On your way to better service, there are a few hurdles you may have to overcome. However, when you work with an IT consultant, like The KR Group, the problems all have a straightforward resolution.

You can find the best internet circuit for your business when you work with us because we have the experience and partnerships to find you the right combination of internet circuits, hosted phone systems, and firewalls.

Specifically, you can rely on us or any knowledgeable IT consultant to help you avoid common problems when upgrading your internet services, including the following:

  1. Trouble terminating old contracts
  2. An incompatible firewall
  3. Having a single point of failure with a single circuit
  4. Poor support and planning from ISP
  5. Long upload times with asymmetrical connections
  6. Slow connection speeds with oversubscription

Understanding each of these factors gives you the knowledge to choose an internet connection that enables your users and, more importantly, creates a productive business.

Problem: ISP Gives You a Hard Time Terminating Your Contract

internet circuit problems

First, if you’re tied into a contract, there’s generally no way to get out of it unless you pay out the remainder in full.

When you reach the end of your contract, you’ll need to let your ISP know if you are going to switch providers. Otherwise, they’ll bill you monthly or automatically renew your contract.

ISPs have a reputation for making this process more complicated than necessary.

Solution: Have Your IT Consultant End or Renegotiate Your Contract

Working with an IT consultant on upgrading and optimizing your circuits is beneficial to you because they have relationships with the various providers to ensure your old contracts are successfully terminated and you don’t end up paying for service you no longer use.

Alternatively, they can try to renegotiate your contract for a better deal to meet your needs.

Either way, when you work with an IT consultant, getting better internet service for better prices includes them looking at your phone system for more cost-effective opportunities. For example, you may save money by getting rid of your POTS or PRI lines and replacing them with a hosted phone system.

During this process, your IT consultant will also test your new circuits to ensure everything is cut over and you’re billed correctly. 

Problem: Your Firewall May Not Be Compatible With Your New Internet Circuits

Internet speed is undeniably an important component of optimizing your internet circuits. However, you’ll also need to think of the firewall that handles your bandwidth.

While increasing your bandwidth sounds good in theory, your firewall may not be capable of handling increased speeds. For example, if you upgrade to a 100 Mbps circuit but your firewall can only handle 50 Mbps, you’ll still only use half of the connection.

Additionally, an inadequate firewall creates a bottleneck that exacerbates the issues.

Solution: Use an IT Consultant to Look at the Big Picture

internet circuit problems

When you work with an IT consultant on upgrading and optimizing your internet service, they look at all of the components of your IT environment.

A firewall is one of those components.

You will find the right combination of firewall and internet because your IT consultant has the experience and knowledge of the different types of solutions and how they will or will not work for your business.

Problem: Relying on One Internet Circuit Creates a Single Point of Failure

Sometimes upgrading to one big internet circuit isn’t the right move. It may be better to contract multiple circuits from different providers.

If you have sensitive business operations dependent on the internet, such as manufacturing or healthcare, an outage can wreak havoc on your organization.

Solution: Your IT Consultant May Advise Multiple Connections

By opting for multiple circuits, you’ll still have a way to connect to the internet if you were to lose power.

Another use case for multiple circuits is to reduce your internet bill. Using a fiber internet connection can minimize latency and jitter – two problems phone system applications are sensitive to. However, it’s more expensive than slower connections, such as broadband or cable.

To lower your overall internet bill, you could supplement your fiber connection with broadband from another provider. This offers the most redundancy and gives you two different companies with two other mediums.

Problem: ISPs Provide Lackluster Support and Planning

internet circuit problems

Even if you incorporate redundancy, you’ll likely need to troubleshoot a problem with your internet circuits from time to time.

Traditionally, you have had to call your ISP and sit in a queue waiting for support. However, with an IT consultant, they can quickly assist you with basic troubleshooting.

Solution: Your IT Consultant Has Resources to Provide Great Service

If your problem requires more specific expertise, you or your IT consultant can escalate your service request to our ecosystem partners. In return for a nominal increase in monthly rates, you can experience significantly better (and faster) customer services.

Along with support, working with an IT consultant helps you plan for your internet needs.

Using a layer 7 firewall analysis, your IT consultant can understand how much and what kind of traffic your business uses and design the solution appropriately. This can prevent you from overpaying.

Problem: Asymmetrical Speeds Create Long Upload Times

internet circuit problems

If you’re considering upgrading circuits, you likely are looking for better speeds, but upgrading your connection doesn’t always guarantee you’ll get the service you expect.

Some types of internet circuits (such as cable and DSL services) are asymmetrical and have different download and upload speeds. The download speed can be 10 times greater than the upload speed.

What does this look like?

A typical cable user can download a 5 GB file in less than 10 minutes. However, with an asymmetrical connection, it would take 90 minutes (or more) to upload the same file.

Solution: An IT Consultant Advises You on Different Connection Options

Depending on the nature of your business, this type of connection may not work. By working with an IT consultant, you will be informed on what connection you have and the right options for your business.

Problem: Oversubscription to Internet Circuits Means Slow Speeds During Busy Times

Not all internet use is identical. Different users access the internet at various times and for unique purposes.

Knowing this, ISPs who provide cable or DSL circuits only offer a portion of their network’s total potential demand, resulting in oversubscription.

internet circuit problems

For example, an ISP could have 1,000 subscribers with 10 Mbps service and contract for an aggregate 100 Mbps connection instead of 10,000 Mbps needed if every user maxed out their connection simultaneously.

It’s unlikely every user will be simultaneously using the total capacity of their connection, so high oversubscription ratios are generally not evident to users. However, during times of high use, oversubscription can bring your connection to a crawl.

Solution: An IT Consultant Takes Your Connection Needs into Consideration

If your business is sensitive to slow internet speeds, an IT consultant can help you avoid oversubscription by finding an ISP that offers a dedicated fiber internet connection.

You’ll Find the Best Internet Circuit Partnering with an IT Consultant

Your business can’t function without an internet connection, so it’s crucial you have to find the best service, and an IT consultant helps you do that.

When you tell an IT consultant you’re looking for new internet connection options, you’ll receive advice for the following service components:

  • Ending or renegotiating a contract
  • Assessing the big picture (internet connection, firewall, phone system)
  • Using multiple internet circuits
  • Troubleshooting and escalating internet issues
  • Finding the right connection type for your business

When you’re ready to start exploring your internet options with one of our team members, meet with one of our technology experts. In 30 minutes, you’ll better understand your current internet solution, if you need to increase your bandwidth, and what options are available to you.

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