Tuesday, November 3, 2009

What Do You Look For in Broadband Hardware?

It's that time again: IT upgrades. The purchasing department wants bottom-dollar, but you know better than that. How long will it last? Can we get signal (believe it or not, the wireless broadband antenna technology makes a huge difference)? What's the throughput that it can handle?

According to independent market research firm, In-Stat, speed, security, and range are the top concerns among buyers. In-Stat recently published their research results pertaining to the purchasing decisions for Broadband Customer Premise Equipment (CPE). Not surprising, brand name was actually low on the list. Many companies today don't even trust a brand's reputation without first testing the equipment in their own environment.

So, according to the experts, speed tops the list. Can the hardware we're talking about handle the number of users on my network? The bandwidth we require? Most importantly, is the speed reliable. If the upstream and downstream speeds are high for half of the day, but unexpectedly and unpredictably hit peaks and valleys based on either signal strength, interferences, or usage spikes, that could be a big deterrent for many companies.

Range also tops the list. With fixed wireless broadband, there are a lot of factors to consider. RF interference, distance to the nearest tower, geographic barriers, and even the physical makeup of the location. Accel Networks has faced incredibly difficult scenarios at locations with high security--which basically means thick concrete and steel walls.

But, most notable at the top of this list is the demand for security. Ever since major network news magazines began warning consumers of the danger in wireless internet at their home (neighbors able to access sensitive data) everyone is keenly aware that passing company data over the airwaves can be problematic. Accel Networks offers layer 2 wireless broadband solutions--the standard required by the PCI-DSS.

So, what do you care about? When considering wireless broadband hardware (or services) does a big name impress? Are higher costs for higher dependability worth it? Do In-Stat's stats represent your mind?

Labels: Broadband Customer Premise Equipment (CPE), Layer 2, PCI Compliant Broadband