Running your business from home? Compare business internet vs. home internet to find the plan that meets your business' needs for reliability, speed & support.
If you run your business from home, you might be using an internet plan designed for residential use. It can sometimes be a default if you’re used to using the internet at home for personal use. But plans designed for business use might be better suited to your needs.
This is especially true if you’re using the internet to access business services in the cloud, upload or download large emails or files, work with AI or for important video calls. Business internet plans can offer better performance, back up and support to help you stay connected and maximise productivity.
So, how does business internet compare to residential internet? Let’s start by defining home (residential) internet plans and business internet plans to clarify their key characteristics.
Home internet plans are primarily designed for residential use to meet the needs of how people commonly use the internet at home. This might be to access streaming services for entertainment, connect personal devices to browse the internet or even to connect other home appliances which are internet-enabled.
People typically use the internet for different things when they’re using it for business purposes. That’s why many ISPs have designed plans specifically for business use which differ from their standard home internet plans.
Business internet is a type of internet service or plan designed to meet the needs of businesses who require enhanced performance, reliability and support.
Typically, business internet plans can include:
Business internet plans are better suited to more bandwidth demanding tasks. For example, they’re often better for video conferencing, file sharing and running cloud-based systems. Understanding why that is, and what’s important for your business, can help you choose the right internet service to support your daily operations.
Below we go into the main differences between business internet services and residential ones.
A key difference between business plans and home internet plans is the speeds they offer. Business internet plans often offer higher speed options than home internet plans to help maximise performance when accessing your online apps and services.
When comparing business internet vs home internet plans, internet speeds can be a key differentiator. When thinking about the speed you need it’s important to look at both the download and upload speeds on offer. Business internet plans often have higher upload speeds than those designed for home use. This is important because higher upload speeds can be important for many types of common business applications.
If you’re on a video call, a lower upload speed may cause frustrating buffering that may impact the quality of your call and how you show up. Higher upload speeds can also help offer you a smoother, quicker experience when uploading large files, such as photos or videos to your website or social media channels or sending large files via email.
Simply put, if you collaborate online, use data-hungry cloud services, create content or do a lot of remote video meetings, higher upload speeds can help your workday run more smoothly.
Learn more about upload speeds and why they’re important for business internet use.
Downtime can mean lost revenue, missed opportunities and a lot of frustration when you’re running a business. Sometimes service disruptions happen. That’s why business internet plans often come with features designed to help keep you well connected as a business user.
For example, Telstra’s business nbn® plans come with 4G mobile backup which activates automatically if your usual nbn connection is interrupted. On an nbn plan from Telstra, Telstra’s 4G backup is unshaped and uncapped. This helps you stay connected and productive in the event of an nbn outage as it means your 4G backup has no cap on data while we work with you to restore your nbn connection.
Business internet plans can also come with optional extras included for no extra fee, such as a static IP address.
Why does this matter? A static IP address can:
Not every business needs a static IP. However, if you’re running services that rely on stable access, it’s worth considering. Learn more to consider if you need a static IP address to help you run your business.
As a business owner you’ll often rely on service providers as part of your extended team. After all you can’t be an expert in everything all the time.
That’s why business internet plans often include an extra layer of service and support specifically for business customers. Telstra’s business internet customers can access dedicated business support online, over the phone, in-store and at Telstra Technology Business Centres across Australia.
Whether you’re troubleshooting a connection or exploring upgrades, expert support can help save you time and reduce stress.
While a home internet plan might suit a basic setup, switching to a business internet plan could be a smart move if:
If your internet is essential to your day-to-day work, make sure you choose an internet plan that will help you work more efficiently and avoid potentially costly disruptions.
Whether you’re a sole trader, freelancer, or small business owner working from your home office, the internet you choose can impact your day-to-day productivity and the customer experience you deliver.
The good news? You don’t need a storefront or office to take up a business internet plan. If you’re working from home but need better performance and reliability, business internet could be the right fit.
Explore Telstra’s business internet plans to find the perfect fit for your home office or small office. For more details, read our guide on how to choose a business internet plan.
Get internet that helps take you further. Our experts can help you find the right connection to power your business.
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