Why should you consider narrowing your business connectivity search to enterprise-class Internet providers? More importantly, is enterprise-grade Internet genuinely better than business-class solutions?
First of all, yes--enterprise is a distinct solution from business-class connectivity, and some organizations need the features of enterprise-grade connectivity offerings.
Enterprise solutions go above and beyond business-class Internet service by offering:
- Interoperability with the enterprise IT infrastructure
- Customization and flexibility
- Scalability, including fast scaling
- Superior protection against information security risks
The 5 Best Enterprise Internet Providers
Who’s the best enterprise connectivity provider?
The “best” is subjective. Even within the criteria of businesses who need enterprise connectivity, no two organizations are the same. The provider who fits one firms’ needs may not serve another’s budget or tech roadmap.
To help you gain insight into your options, here are five leading options for enterprise Internet providers in the greater DC metro area and nationwide.
If you’re new to shopping for business Internet connectivity, make sure you don’t run the latency and availability risks of public Internet providers by reading into What's the Difference Between Residential and Business Fiber Internet?
1. Comcast
Comcast is among the largest players in the enterprise and business connectivity sphere. Per their website, this Philadelphia, PA-headquartered firm employs over 100,000 people and transmits a staggering 6 terabytes of Internet traffic each day. Their connectivity solutions include one of the nation’s most extensive fiber networks, which supports 40Gbps core speeds.
Comcast Business’ offerings include a number of enterprise solutions, including custom network infrastructure and fully-managed enterprise solutions for organizations who choose to outsource both day-to-day maintenance and optimization. Depending on the client’s budget and enterprise service agreement, their solution may include access to dedicated project teams during the rollout phase.
2. Windstream
Windstream is a nationwide provider of voice, data, network, communications, and managed services for businesses based in Little Rock, Arkansas. Founded in 2006, this large provider has differentiated and separated their brands to develop an enterprise on business services. “Windstream” service can now mean residential phone service, enterprise service, or service from their network of wholesale partners (value-added resellers).
Windstream Enterprise solutions for Internet connectivity, per their website, currently exceed 1 Gbps. Clients can expect a dedicated ethernet connection, 24-hour network monitoring, scalability offerings, and around-the-clock support. Other enterprise services offered by the large business brand of this provider include Unified Communications, Voice, Connectivity, Security, Compliance, and Consulting. Information on the availability of their enterprise fiber and data center coverage is available on the Windstream website.
3. Verizon Enterprise Solutions
Founded in 2006, Verizon Enterprise Solutions is a longstanding, distinct, arm of the multinational telecommunications provider. This organization’s network and services are targeted to enterprise and government clients in 150 countries worldwide, with employees in 75 global locations. Among the organizations reviewed here, this enterprise Internet provider has one of the broadest menus of services, including networks, machine to machine, mobility, data, managed security, hosting, and consulting.
Per the website, Verizon’s enterprise-class option is called “Internet dedicated services,” which is described as “reliable connectivity and flexible bandwidth over a public network.” Enterprises have flexibility in speed and bandwidth, ranging from T1 to 100 Gbps on a dedicated connection. Verizon’s fiber-optic network is detailed in a PDF on their website, and is currently available in many locations around the globe.
4. MegaPath
Founded in 1996, Megapath is a Pleasanton, California-headquartered organizations which offer telecommunications services to single-site and multi-site firms throughout the United States. According to their site, they currently have a presence in three U.S. regions besides California--Connecticut, Virginia, and Washington state. Megapath’s business-to-business services include connectivity, voice, cloud, SharePoint, and security.
While MegaPath does not have a page on their website dedicated to enterprise Internet connectivity, they emphasize flexibility in business Internet. Per their content, their options include Ethernet, T1, fiber, cable, wireless, and DS Internet options and speeds up to 10 Gbps. Online resources are provided to help you check for your proximity to their fiber resources.
5. Atlantech Online
Founded in Maryland in 1995, Atlantech Online is one of the earliest providers of true enterprise-class Internet connectivity--including client guarantees of quality, flexibility, scalability, and security. While standards for state-of-the-art connectivity have evolved significantly during our 23 years in business from ISDN to today’s fast fiber-optic Internet connectivity offerings, we’ve remained a leading choice for greater Washington, DC Metro-area businesses due to our above-and-beyond customer service offerings and cost-effective solutions.
With speed options ranging from 5 Mbps to 100 Gbps, Atlantech offers on-net and off-net Ethernet service via fiber throughout the greater Mid-Atlantic region. Atlantech Online can deliver high quality fiber internet service to most commercial addresses in the Mid-Atlantic region within 30 days of an order with many on-net buildings in five (5) business days
Atlantech has successfully serviced enterprise clients in many different industries, including highly-unique implementations and requirements for complex technological infrastructures. Once clients go-live, they know Atlantech will be there to provide 24/7 network monitoring, a live receptionist, and 24/7/365 domestic, expert customer support.
Want to check your proximity to Atlantech’s fiber network throughout the DC Metro area and 90 private peering relationships? Click here!
Do I Need an Enterprise Internet Provider?
Chances are, you know whether or not your business qualifies as an enterprise. In the business world, enterprises are often defined as organizations with:
- 1,000 or more employees
- Annual revenue over $1 billion
However, you don’t necessarily have to meet the size and revenue criteria for an enterprise to need enterprise-grade Internet provider services. Here are some examples of use cases where mid-market and even SMB organizations may need to shop for enterprise-class connectivity solutions:
- A mid-market organization with a complex technological ecosystem or a strong need for a customized implementation.
- Mid-sized and large organizations in industries with little-to-no tolerance for downtime or stringent regulatory requirements.
- SMB professional services firms--such as government consultants--with an extreme need for best-of-class precautions against cybersecurity risks.
Essentially, if you need reliable, guaranteed bandwidth, you definitely need business or enterprise-class Internet. If you have special requirements around multiple business locations, information security, or a complicated infrastructure, you may be better served by enterprise-grade solutions.
To learn how highly-regulated enterprise achieved a highly-customized changeover to their communications infrastructure, check out The Montgomery College Case Study.
Finding the Best Enterprise Connectivity Provider
If you were hoping for a blog that listed reviews pointing towards the one “best” enterprise Internet provider in the nation or region, this wasn't it. While we’re biased, we’ll be the first to admit there is no such thing as the best.
The right solution for a highly-regulated B2G consultancy in Rockville, Maryland may look very different than the best provider for a SaaS company in SoCal. It ultimately depends on your company, your requirements, and the provider whose options best fit your needs.
Ready to take steps towards reliable, fast enterprise Internet service? Click here to request a no-obligations quote for enterprise Internet from Atlantech Online!
