Choosing an internet provider for your business usually comes down to a quick look at the price and the headline speed. That’s understandable — but the things that actually decide whether your connection works for you, like what happens during an outage or whether your speed holds up at month end, are rarely on the flyer. A few direct questions before you sign can save you months of frustration.
1. Is the speed shared or dedicated?
Many packages share capacity between customers in the same area, which is fine for most homes but can mean slower speeds at busy times. If your business depends on video calls, POS payments, or cloud software all day, ask plainly whether the bandwidth is shared or dedicated, and what speed you can realistically expect at peak hours — not just the maximum.
2. Is it truly unlimited, or is there a fair usage policy?
“Unlimited” can mean different things. Some plans slow you down after a certain amount of data, which you might only discover when your cloud backup or software updates push you over the line. Ask whether there is any cap, throttling, or fair usage limit, and what speed you drop to if there is.
3. What upload speed do I get?
Download gets all the attention, but businesses send a lot of data too: video calls, CCTV remote viewing, emailing large files, and cloud backup all rely on upload. Ask for the upload figure specifically and make sure it matches how your office actually works.
4. How do I report a fault, and how fast do you respond?
Every connection has a bad day eventually. What matters is how quickly it gets fixed. Ask what hours support is available, whether you can reach a real person by phone, and how soon a technician can be on site if the problem is physical, like a damaged cable. For a business, a provider that only answers during office hours can mean losing an entire evening or weekend of trading.
5. What does installation cost, and what’s included?
Some providers advertise a low monthly price and then add installation, router, or cabling charges at the end. Ask for the full cost of getting connected, whether the router is included, and whether the installer will help position equipment properly so the signal actually reaches the back office.
6. How long is the contract, and can I change packages?
Your needs will change as you add staff or move premises. Ask how long you are committed for, whether you can upgrade or downgrade without penalties, and what notice is required to cancel. Flexibility is worth a lot for a growing business.
7. Can you give me a static IP or other business features?
If you plan to view CCTV remotely, run a server, or let staff connect to office systems from home, you may need a static IP address. Guest WiFi for customers and a backup connection are also worth discussing early. Asking now tells you whether the provider can grow with you.
Get the answers in writing
- Ask for the package speed, any data limits, and the monthly price in writing before installation.
- Save the support phone number and account details somewhere every staff member can find them.
- Run a speed test in the first week at different times of day to confirm you’re getting what was promised.
At WebSpace Internet we’re happy to answer every one of these questions up front: our packages are unlimited with no throttling, installation is free, support is available 24/7, and plans start from Ksh 1,500 per month. If you’re setting up or switching your business connection, call us on 0702 447 334 or visit our contact page and we’ll talk you through the options.