Question: We don’t have a lot of money to go for the priciest – and best – broadband package. So taking the price tag out of the equation, what should I be looking for in business broadband deals to help me pick?

Answer: The first thing to so when looking for a lower priced broadband package is to find out whether the provider has given clear and upfront speed estimates for the connection.

Even if you cannot afford the options now, why not look to see if a provider offers the faster repair time options, as providers offering these are generally the ones that take a little more care with their service – and customers. This means if broadband becomes more crucial you can easily add these options at a later date too.

Just keep in mind that selecting a broadband package on a budget can be a complete stab in the dark, so talk to other professionals in your local vicinity and see who they are using and how well their providers and connections behave. It may be one of those situations where a name you’ve never heard of keeps cropping up, since there are quite a few smaller regional providers who don’t spend a fortune on advertising.

However, you’ll want to do some checking as some providers are just white label resellers and you might as well buy your broadband package from the business arm of the people who actually supply the service.

Also, if you are currently stuck with slow ADSL or FTTC that is slow due to the length of the phone line, there are a number of fixed wireless providers around the UK that may be able to offer you a better service.

This article is part of our Real Business Broadband campaign, which seeks to provide a mouthpiece for business leaders to vocalise the broadband issues preventing their businesses from reaching full potential. We’d love to hear your take on the debate and where you think the UK needs to make drastic changes – and feel to ask us your broadband queries. Get in touch via email (shane.schutte@realbusiness.co.uk) or join in on the action using #rbBroadband.

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