With so many consumers enjoying cable Internet access from home, it's hard to imagine that a small business would still rely on dialup analog connections to connect to the Internet.

But, surprisingly, many small companies continue to use dialup modems to send e-mail, support remote employees, and exchange information with customers and suppliers. Many are still waiting to make the move to broadband services.

Simply put, broadband gives your employees much more robust connections to the Internet and, in the case of remote users, to the company local-area network (LAN). Typically, broadband is defined as delivering bandwidth of at least 1.54 megabits per second (Mbps), or about 25 times the speed of dialup connections. This always-on technology lets your employees work faster and more efficiently than ever before, while delivering the kind of access to critical information dialup just can't provide.

As with any leap forward, companies have to do some research first to ensure a happy landing. This includes picking the right service, preparing the rest of the network for more traffic, and ensuring adequate security.

1. Analyze your needs.

Most companies find they use their high-bandwidth connections for the following critical applications:

• Sending/receiving e-mails with large attachments.
• Connecting with customers, suppliers, or other company locations.
• Conducting online research, including competitive research.
• Online purchasing and travel assistance.
• Collaborating on electronic documents.
• Distance training and company meetings via videoconferencing.

With these applications, businesses enjoy a host of benefits, including increased responsiveness to customers and suppliers, increased productivity reduced costs, and far greater flexibility.

2. Pick the right service.

Broadband comes in many different flavors to satisfy the varying needs of growing businesses. If price is especially important, DSL is probably the best choice.

Regardless of the specific technology selected, most businesses report tremendous satisfaction with broadband. For instance, in the case of DSL, more than 90% of small businesses reported business gains or increased productivity that exceeded the cost of their monthly service, according to a recent study by the Yankee Group. In addition, 65% of respondents said that DSL would be one of the last services eliminated if the company had to cut costs.

Cable, Frame Relay, fractional T1 and dedicated T1 lines can provide greater bandwidth, but at higher costs.

In addition to speed and price, companies must consider a variety of other issues before choosing a technology. These include:

• How many users will share the broadband connection?
• What types of applications will you run?
• Will sensitive or confidential information be shared over the line?
• Which security measures will be used to keep out intruders?
• What types of quality of service guarantees are needed?

3. Choose a service provider.

Service providers differ greatly in their security and quality of service offerings. Businesses should be careful when choosing the provider that best meets their needs, both in terms of broadband technology and services. Before making a final decision, thoroughly research all the options available in your area to identify the ideal speed, functionality, price, and service provider for your business.

4. Choose the right equipment.

To bring broadband into your office, you'll need to select the appropriate equipment. Again, you should be able to rely on your service provider, which will usually lease or even sell you the necessary devices. Typically, a broadband environment that will be shared by multiple employees will require the following equipment:

• High-speed, standardized access router connections for the wide-area network (WAN). This router links your IT infrastructure with your service provider's broadband services (such as DSL, cable, T1 lines, and so on).

• High-speed Ethernet switches for the LAN. These switches eliminate local application bottlenecks. The exact type of switch you install (for instance, 10/100 Mbps switches or 10/100/1000 Mbps switches — referred to as Ethernet/Fast Ethernet/Gigabit Ethernet, respectively) will depend on the size of your business and the applications you are running.

Companies that currently have a hub-based LAN should consider migrating to intelligent switches, which will greatly enhance flexibility and mobility. But be careful — there's a wide variety of LAN and WAN equipment on the market today. When building a broadband infrastructure, it's vital you select compatible devices that operate together easily and reliably.