You can divide internet connections into one of two groups: symmetrical and asymmetrical. The difference is in how much bandwidth the connection dedicates to upload and download speeds: an asymmetrical connection has a low upload speed but a high download speed while a symmetrical connection is equal in both directions.
The reason asymmetrical connections have been common until now is because most people spent a lot more time downloading things from the internet rather than uploading them. However, that’s changed over the years thanks to people uploading pictures and videos to social media from their smartphones, people who create content as a hobby and upload it online, and the growing number of people who work from home.
Still, businesses have almost always had symmetrical connections thanks to their different needs, so ISPs have separated their services into home internet and business internet options. That’s changing now because personal internet connections demand better upload speeds, and so companies like JumpFiber make no distinction and offer gigabit connection speeds to anyone in their service area. This is convenient for our customers since it means they don’t have to set up offices or apartments in certain buildings or certain parts of buildings to get the kind of connection they need.
Aside from the convenience, gigabit connections are also an important incentive property owners and managers can use to bring in more tenants. High-speed business internet connections are essential for many industries, and if a building can’t offer gigabit speeds then companies in these industries quite simply won’t move in. That’s why it’s essential for property owners zoned for businesses or mixed commercial and residential buildings to upgrade their connections to fiber-optics.
Businesses are willing to pay higher rents right now since fiber connections are still uncommon, and you’ll eventually have to install a fiber-based business internet since these high speeds are the only way to keep up with the amount of bandwidth people now demand from their internet. In the end, switching early to a high-speed symmetrical connection makes the most sense in the long term.
So if your business property isn’t wired for a fiber internet connection yet, now would be a great time to make that happen. Adding this essential feature now will let you finance the installation with more tenants and higher rent, and with financial incentives like JumpFiber’s community rewards you can keep running costs low as well.