Business broadband
What speed does
your business need?
Users × what they do
Full-fibre & leased lines- The speed you need depends on how many users you have and what they do online — email and card payments need far less than video calls, cloud software and CCTV.
- Upload speed matters as much as download for cloud work, video calls, backups and CCTV — a key reason business and full-fibre connections beat basic home broadband.
- Full-fibre comfortably covers most small and medium businesses; a leased line is for heavy or mission-critical use.
- Reliability (an uptime SLA) often matters more for a business than the headline speed figure.
"What internet speed does my business need?" is a common question, and the honest answer is: it depends on your business. But you don't need to guess — a simple approach gets you close.
Count your users and what they do
Start with how many people are online at once and what they're doing. Light use — email, browsing, taking card payments — needs relatively little. Heavier use — video calls, large file transfers, cloud software, CCTV, VoIP phones — needs considerably more, and the more simultaneous users, the more headroom you want.
Don't ignore upload speed
Most people focus on download speed, but upload speed matters just as much for modern business tasks: video calls, sending large files, cloud backups and CCTV all rely on upload. Basic home-style broadband often has weak upload, which is one reason business and full-fibre connections are a better fit.
What typical needs look like
As a rough guide, a small office of a few people can run comfortably on a standard full-fibre package, while busier sites with lots of simultaneous users, heavy cloud use or multiple cameras benefit from faster tiers — or a leased line for guaranteed, symmetrical performance. We compare the options in FTTP vs leased line.
Reliability often beats raw speed
For a business, a connection that's reliable usually matters more than one that's merely fast. A slightly slower connection with an uptime guarantee and fast fault-fix will serve you better than a fast one that drops out — see business vs home broadband.
Not sure what speed — or connection — your business needs? We'll match business broadband to how you actually work, across UK providers. Free, no obligation. Call 0845 862 1947 or get in touch.
Work out your speed from your users and what they do, give yourself upload headroom, and weigh reliability alongside raw speed — and you'll choose a connection that fits your business rather than overpaying for numbers you'll never use.