Broadband internet connection system SDSL has made a difference to one surveying firm in terms of cost and speed. By Mike Wood
Broadband Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line (SDSL) is a compelling proposition. For companies needing to let office space, it is an extra facility that can pull in tenants. And for letting companies, it is a huge advantage – prospective tenants can be offered not only space, but also connection to the most advanced technology available.
We decided to update our existing ISDN connection to SDSL as we felt it offered real benefits to our business. As we began using the internet more frequently as business tool, we felt that there were aspects that could be improved. ISDN is a relatively slow digital transfer system, and as our internet traffic increased this became a real disadvantage. It also has an unmanaged pricing structure: the longer we were online, the higher the cost. This meant there was a potential for running up huge bills without even being aware of it.
We heard about Redstone Telecom’s SDSL offering as it is the first company in the UK to have made this technology commercially available to businesses. SDSL widens the channel through which information is received and sent, meaning that more can go through at the same time, resulting in much faster download times.
More efficient internet operations
This broadband connection offers the opportunity for us to improve the way we use the internet. SDSL – as opposed to Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, or ADSL, which BT offers – means that you can send as much information as you can receive, which is a huge benefit to us as large files of information now fly back and forth quickly.
My colleague decided to test our broadband SDSL technology by downloading a large software package from a website. The estimated download time he was given on screen was 40 minutes. We had the package fully installed on our system in a minute and a half. The speed is so impressive it makes the internet seem almost instantaneous. I am not even aware of waiting for information that I need.
Cost advantages
Cost is another huge benefit. The connection we have means that internet is always on. There is no need to disconnect and reconnect. We can leave our PCs to make phone calls or talk to clients without being concerned that while we are away from our desks the meter is ticking.
The pricing structure is much simpler. We pay a fixed monthly rate and with that we can use the internet as much as we choose. It makes it so much easier as we can pre-budget for internet usage and not worry about a large bill at the end of the month.
Essentially the benefits for us as a small business are SDSL’s speed, efficiency, resilience and simple payment structure. The internet really is the way forward for businesses and connecting to SDSL has confirmed it.
The property market is in a position to take full advantage of this technology. Connection to SDSL as part of a lease package is a differentiating feature that can help secure tenants. Technology is a crucial issue for businesses and letting firms must aim to keep in touch with exactly what their tenants are looking for when leasing a property.
Using SDSL technology has been nothing but a positive experience for us, and we are now planning to develop our website, confident that we have the right technology in place.
