For small business owners, there are an infinite number of reasons why your internet provider can make or break you. Pockets of internet downtime can mean interrupted file transfers, canceled video conferences, and customers turned away at checkout. Entrepreneurs like you already have so much on your plate — reliable internet access should be something you can take for granted. Google Fiber, the tech giant’s fiber internet service, makes running a small business easier with guaranteed uptime.
It’s happened to everyone (everyone without Google Fiber, that is): the dreaded “connectivity issues” causing you to freeze, inevitably in the worst possible expression, during a video call; an apologetic smile from a barista who can no longer take credit cards because the café’s internet is down; a frustrating afternoon in which you can’t send emails or work on presentations while the internet is down. Small businesses with unreliable internet face issues with productivity, customer satisfaction, and ultimately, lost revenue. In contrast, entrepreneurs report that Google Fiber has helped them pull off seemingly impossible feats for their businesses.“Google Fiber made it possible to operate a high-tech incubator in the middle of a digital desert,” says D. Dalton, the proprietor of Hammerspace Workshop. “With their flawless service and the unmatched uptime of our network connection we hope that Google will continue to be our internet provider for many years to come.”
Google Fiber offers two programs for business customers: a one gigabit download and upload speed plan, and the two gigabit download/one gigabit upload plan, which is recommended for fast-paced businesses with multiple users. Both plans include routers with the option for a guest Wi-Fi network (ideal if you’re the one running that coffee shop) and 24/7 access to customer service. The larger plan also includes two mesh extenders, to make your Wi-Fi service reach further throughout your office, and a 99.9 percent uptime guarantee. The two options mean your business has room to grow, and Google Fiber can scale along with your company’s needs.
With Google Fiber’s 99.9 percent uptime guarantee on its two gig plan, business customers are promised lightning fast downloads and uploads, virtually all of the time. If, by some chance, your average monthly downtime hits over .1 percent, your contract includes an automatic 25 percent credit on your monthly bill. Plus, each month, you’ll get an uptime report confirming the amount of time your service was online.
Because Google Fiber uses fiber-optic cables made specifically for online data transfer, the technology is more reliable than traditional cables, which were designed to transmit sound and images to televisions. Cable internet is more subject to the vagaries of weather and peak traffic outages, whereas fiber-optic is built to withstand both extreme heat and cold and massive amounts of users. But even among other fiber-optic brands, Google Fiber is at an advantage: With 24/7 access to tech support and customer service, entrepreneurs can get immediate help troubleshooting any potential issues. But chances are, you won’t need it: “We have had no interruptions or slowdowns. It is a very reliable service that allows us to support our customers,” says A. Tschirner, a vice president and general manager at Lyntec.
No matter if you own a video production house, a pottery school, or an accounting firm, reliable internet can be the difference between a thriving business and one that keeps you up at night worrying. Invest in your future success with Google Fiber’s business plans. As B. Leach, the CEO of Steelray Software, puts it, “The biggest compliment I can give is that we no longer think about our internet, because it is no longer prone to slowdowns or outages. My goal is to keep our customers as happy as we are with Google Fiber.”
