How much should you pay for Internet access for your company?

The Internet has changed the way people do business.

A lot of companies rely on the use of computers and the Internet for marketing and communication, and for them to connect and transact with customers and clients. For businesses in Lebanon however, the struggle is real. For many years, Lebanon is known for having the worst Internet access in the world. Although the country is regarded as an entrepreneurship and business stronghold among Arab nations, the sluggish and expensive Internet has crippled its economy and businesses for so long.

But how much really should one pay for Internet access?

What is the “right price” to secure a fast and reliable connection for your business? There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this. How much you should pay depends on your business usage, your service needs, your plans for your company’s IT infrastructure, and most importantly your budget.

Just like any regular operational expense of your company such as office space, equipment rental, or employee salary, the cost of business Internet service for your company can range from affordable to pricey. Thus, you need to identify the day-to-day demands on your Internet service when operating your business to choose the appropriate package and estimate Internet cost.

Major Internet service providers in (ISPs) in Lebanon such as Ogero, Sodetel, and Cyberia offer comparable rates for business of all sizes, from SMEs to big corporations. The cost of their business packages may vary depending on the provided bandwidth, the number of users allowed, the quality of service and other performance specifications.

For example, a small office or home office having two or three employees who only need basic browser and email functionality would require less bandwidth and hence cheaper cost. A typical DSL plan for this setup ranges from around $40 to $100 monthly.

On the other hand, a company that has ten or more employees uploading or downloading large files at the same time would require unlimited traffic, unlimited sessions and 24/7 service. These features would equate to a higher Internet cost. Plans start at around $100 to $600 per month for these small to medium-sized businesses.

High-tier business Internet packages are also available and specifically designed for larger offices. Because there are more users doing bandwidth-heavy tasks like video-conferencing, Skype or VoIP calls, there is a need for a faster and reliable Internet connection. The cost for this could go higher than $600 per month also because of additional costs for installation and network configuration.

The good news for all Lebanese is that a recent decree approved by the Cabinet takes Lebanon closer to having fast but affordable Internet. Telecommunications Minister Jamal Jarrah said that the Cabinet decided to lower Internet prices significantly, and overall consumer costs are reduced by 50 to 60 percent. In figures, this means a monthly Internet fee of $16 for the lowest Internet plan and $240 only for the current highest Internet package.

With the realization of this Internet service upgrade, there is indeed hope for businesses in Lebanon after all.