When choosing what internet solution to go with, it is important to look at each internet solutions pros and cons.
Turrito Networks is an Agnostic Provider. This means we offer a variety of solutions that suit your business needs and not our pocket. When deciding what internet solution could work for your business there are a variety of factors to be considered. We can guide you through this process by understanding your business goals. In this blog post, we cover different Internet Solutions pros and cons.
Covered in this article:
Different Internet Solutions Pros and Cons
Fibre
Fibre is now one of the most popular options for sharing data over the internet. Since it’s introduction it has revolutionised the ICT industry.
Pros
Greater Immunity and High-Quality Connections
Since the core of the fibre is made of glass, it is immune to other wave interference, so no cross-talk. They are also resistant to erosion making them better than copper which is susceptible to rust. In the long run, this makes fibre a more affordable solution.
Security
Security should be the number one concern for every company. With fibre, it’s very difficult to tap into the cable to access the data transmitted. And even if there is a break in the system it is easy to identify it as it will impact the entire system.
Scalability and Design
Fibre is much more scalable as new infrastructure can be laid easily. Wavelengths can be turned on and off to allow for the provisioning of services.
Cons
Physical Damage
Due to the fibre being thinner and lighter than copper, it’s more delicate. It can easily be cut during building renovations or rewiring.
Fibre Fuse
A “Fibre Fuse” occurs when too many light meetings with some imperfection in the fibre and can destroy a lot of cable in a short amount of time.
Short-Time Big Budget
In the long term, fibre is a cost-effective solution. It, however, in the short term it is costly to implement fibre in your business.
ADSL
ADSL utilises the same wires as your telephone and is cost-effective and fast internet solution.
Pros
Affordability
ADSL offers excellent service in comparison to the price you pay for it.
Performance
ADSL is a bonded solution which enables faster speeds with good latency.
Cons
Theft
ADSL uses copper lines and due to their valuable nature, they are often stolen.
Speed
In some area, copper connectivity can lead to poor performance. Faster download than upload speeds which means it’s a poor solution for cloud applications.
Expensive to upgrade
It is more complex to upgrade ADSL for additional speed than fibre.
LTE – Mobile Networks
3G used to be the talk of the town until 4G (also known as LTE) made an appearance in the market. Offering better speeds and uptime, this solution to the mobile market by storm. Connectivity via mobile is becoming more of a necessity and LTE can also serve as a backup connectivity solution for your business.
Pros
Speed
This is the most obvious advantage. Increased bandwidth means much faster data transfer speeds.
Coverage
LTE networks offer more coverage than Wi-Fi in major metropolitan areas.
Security
One of the major problems with connectivity solutions such as Wi-Fi is security. LTE networks offer complete privacy which is beneficial for corporates especially.
Cons
Limited Coverage
Even though LTE can offer coverage of over 50kms, it is still only in major metropolitan areas in South Africa.
New Equipment Required
Although there is cheaper hardware for LTE available today, to get LTE speeds in your office you would need to purchase new equipment. It is relatively inexpensive but LTE won’t be able to use your existing infrastructure.
Relatively Expensive
In comparison to other internet solutions out there, the cost of data on LTE is much higher. It is best used as a backup solution.
MPLS
MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) boasts a lot of flexibility. It typically refers to Layer 3 MPLS VPN services.
Pros
Scalable
MPLS ensures high-performance networks that you require. MPLS can be scaled over 1000’s of sites.
Common Applications
You can use MPLS for connecting data centres with various branches at different locations.
Remote Connections
MPLS allows you to add new remote sessions and connections without having to add hardware at your primary site.
Service Level Agreements
All of Turrito’s connectivity solutions are driven by SLA’s (Service Level Agreement) which guarantees service delivery.
Cons
Lack of total control
The service provider configures the overall network and you must work with the provider to route traffic.
Expensive
Since MPLS is rather advanced it will cost more than a basic ethernet solution. However, it will cost less than a Tier 1 line.
Satellite – VSAT
With Satellite Internet, a land-based connection sends a signal to a satellite dish with then redirects the signal to a personal dish which transfers that to a modem.
Pros
Available everywhere
This is Satellite’s biggest advantage. There is no need some sort of cabling to connect with a satellite internet solution.
Fast
Contrary to popular belief, satellite internet can be up to 50 times faster than some broadband solutions.
Overcomes physical barriers
Satellite internet can circumvent mountain ranges, buildings and other physical barriers that are in the way by beaming signals directly from dish to dish through a clear line of sight.
Cons
Expensive
A regular satellite internet solution can cost roughly the same as a cabled solution, however, upgrades tend to be expensive.
Data Limits
This is very common with satellite internet providers. Some providers will block access until the next billing cycle so a backup connectivity solution is needed.
Unreliability
Weather conditions can affect the quality of your signal which makes satellite quite unreliable.
Leased Lines
Leased lines are typically used by businesses to connect geographically distant offices. This is a reserved circuit that allows for private voice and data communication.
Pros
Safety
Delivering data and services are safe and secure with this solution. No data loss takes place with a leased line internet solution.
Data Range
You can choose from a wider range of 64 kbps to 622 Mbps.
Budget
Due to this being a fixed-line installed in your business building it cuts down your budget quite a bit. You will just need to pay rent to the service provider and they will help you with backup and technical support.
Cons
Limited Control
You cannot change the setting of the service on your own.
Service Delivery
Unfortunately, if you face any technical difficulties, you can’t call anyone other than your service provider.
Security
Even though security is a pro for this internet solution it is also a con as all your data and information are open to the service provider.
SD-WAN
SD-WAN is gradually emerging as an alternative in this area and marks the beginning of a shift away from this older way of doing things. For many companies, it is a giant leap forward in network infrastructure.
Pros
Not dependent on hardware
Broadly speaking, SD-WANs offer an entirely new way of managing a network across multiple locations. They are not dependent on hardware and can dynamically load balance across multiple links to avoid the backhauling that still plagues many traditional networks today.
Save money
This functionality allows organizations to replace MPLS with an Internet-based option that can save money and increase employee productivity. If that sounds too good to be true, it’s not. Here’s a breakdown of how the process works:
- Network control is centralized in a device known as an SDN controller
- The SDN controller implements policy management
- Those tasks, such as configuration and provisioning, are automated
- Multiple WAN links in an active-active configuration are supported
- WAN optimization may or may not be supported
Cons
No on-site security functionality
As great as all of that functionality sounds, nothing is perfect, and there are some disadvantages associated with SD-WANs. In most cases, they only provide an advantage when accessing cloud-based applications. They do not provide any on-site security functionality.
Do it yourself
Also, SD-WANs are mostly a DIY operation — meaning that your IT department is responsible for planning, design, implementation, and maintenance. This means it’s essential to have staff who can build and maintain this solution. Otherwise, you could be looking at a hefty price tag for bringing in outside support if something goes wrong.
