Choosing a business broadband plan can be very different to signing up for a residential broadband package. In some instances, you may not even have the option of choosing between the two, as your address may dictate the type of broadband plan you can sign up for.
Having a stable, speedy and secure internet connection is essential for nearly all businesses – regardless of size. A fast broadband service can increase productivity among employees and reduce frustration levels at work (especially given the rise of video conferencing requirements). Additionally, businesses also need to double down on security features as they become more vulnerable to cyber-attacks today.
That said, business needs differ across companies; what one company requires, another might not. Therefore, it is important that you opt for the most suitable broadband that meets your business needs and fits within your budget.
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Dynamic VS Static Business Broadband
There are two kinds of business broadbands provided by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Singapore – static broadband and dynamic broadband.
A static broadband offers a static IP address (meaning that the IP address does not change)while a dynamic broadband uses dynamic IP addresses (meaning that your IP address is subjected to change).
In general, using dynamic IP addresses costs less though it may not be suitable for all business applications. Your company’s Chief Technical Officer (CTO) or tech advisor will be able to advise you on whether your business requires the use of static IP address(es). In general, businesses may require static IP if you host your own web and email servers or need remote access to external devices. If this isn’t already on your radar, chances are a standard dynamic broadband package should be good enough for you.
We compare business broadband plans (monthly pricing) offered by 5 Internet Service Providers – Singtel, M1, StarHub, MyRepublic and ViewQwest.
With the exception of MyRepublic, the rest of the providers offer 24/7 technical support. Businesses that are subscribers of MyRepublic may contact their technical support team between 9am to 2am. This can be a consideration if you are running an e-commerce, digital media or certain other types of businesses that may require round-the-clock support.
Do note that these prices exclude any promotions or bundles offered by the ISPs.
Dynamic Broadband For Businesses
| Internet Service Provider (ISP) | <750Mbps | 1Gbps | >2Gbps | Additional Details |
| Singtel eVolve Broadband (Dynamic IP) | $121/mth (500Mbps) $161/mth (700Mbps) | $185/mth (1Gbps) | $425.10/mth (2Gbps) $670.35/mth (5Gbps) $964.65/mth (10Gbps) | – 24 or 36-month contract for plans up to 1Gbps; 24-month contract for plans higher than 1Gbps – Free Broadband Security (for plans higher than 1Gbps) – FREE WiFi 6 Router (worth $360) -FREE one-time installation (worth $872) |
| StarHub Business Dynamic Fibre Broadband | $101.37/mth (500Mbps) 750Mbps – price not available (new plan) | $173.31/mth (1Gbps) | – | – 24-month contract – Free Broadband Shield Firewall – Waiver of One-Time Charge, Router Rental and Installation |
| M1 Dynamic Fibre Broadband | $100.85 /mth (300Mbps) $97.01/mth (500Mbps) $130.40/mth (Premium 500 Mbps) | $171.14/mth (1Gbps) | – | – 24-month contract – Bundled WiFi 6 Router and Installation (worth $457.40)– 300Mbps plan comes with additional Mesh System (worth $457.40) |
| ViewQwest FibernetTMLite Dynamic Business Broadband Plans | $113.98 (500Mbps) | $171.99 (1Gbps) | $310.99 (2.5Gbps) | – 12-month, 24-month or 36-month contract – Free ASUS RT-AX53U WiFi 6 Router (worth $129) – Free Modem Rental Add-on (optional): – $22/month for static IP – $36/month for Vesta Shield – $10 for OneVoice Business line |
| MyRepublic Small Business Solutions & Enterprise Solutions | 300Mbps – Price not available 500Mbps – Price not available | 1Gbps – Price not available | 10Gbps – Price not available |
Observations for dynamic broadbands for businesses
The entry-level price for dynamic broadbands (based on their internet speed) for all 4 ISPs are relatively similar. The cheapest business broadband is offered by M1 at $100.85/mth for 300Mbps/mth and $97.01 for 500Mbps. The difference is due to an additional mesh system provided for the 300Mbps plan.
In general, more ISP are providing higher business broadband speeds of more than 1Gbps. While Singtel and MyRepublic are the only ISP that offer up to 10Gbps business broadband plans. SingTel’s 10Gbps plan is at $964.65/mth, while MyRepublic does not disclose its pricing.
Do note that most of the ISPs typically offer promotional rates as well, so it may be valuable to compare periodically. In addition, some ISPs also offer a discounted rate for the first year.
Nevertheless, most business broadband providers offer plans with terms of 12, 24, or 36-months. with Starhub and ViewQwest offering 12-month options as well. The longer-term plan, the cheaper the monthly subscription charges.
Aside from from monthly subscription costs, businesses can also take into consideration other benefits like the modem, installation costs and other costs of add-on services such as security protection when deciding between different broadband plans.
Static Broadband For Businesses
| Internet Service Provider (ISP) | <500Mbps | 500Mbps | 1Gbps | Additional Details |
| Singtel eLite (Static IP) | $251 (50Mbps) $305 (100Mbps) $395 (200Mbps) | – | – | – Enterprise-grade connectivity at full subscription speeds – 8x Static IPs – Network performance guaranteed by a 99.95% service level agreement– FREE HP Router– FREE OTO D-HUMI Air Dehumidifier (worth $268) |
| StarHub Business Static Fibre Broadband | – | $101.37 | $173.31 | – 24-month contract – Free Broadband Shield Firewall – Waiver of One-Time Charge, Router Rental and Installation – 1x Static IP |
| M1 High-Speed Fibre With Managed Cloud Security | – | – | $354.50 | – 24-month contract – Managed FortiGate 61E (Firewall) – FortiGuard Global Threat Intelligence – Managed Access Control List – Weekly Security Report – 8x Static IPs |
| ViewQwest Static Business Broadband Plans | – | – | – | Add-on $22.20/mth on Dynamic Broadband plans for 1xStatic IP |
| MyRepublic | Prices and details not stated | – Free 1xStatic IP for Dynamic Broadband plans |
Observations for static broadbands for businesses
Singtel only provides static fibre broadband plans at lower internet speeds. This likely means you need to sign up for it as an add-on to a main dynamic broadband plan.
Starhub provides a more diverse variety of plans at different speeds that may suit different business purposes, while M1 only offers a 1Gbps static broadband plan.
For ViewQwest and MyRepublic users, you can add on 1xStatic IP address with your main dynamic broadband plan.
For businesses that require multiple IP addresses, M1 and Singtel both offer 8 free static IPs as part of their plans. M1’s static business broadband offers 1Gbps and comes with a security suite. For this specialised requirement, businesses have to fork out $354.50 per month. Another option is to sign up for a dynamic broadband plan and top up for a static line when needed.
Do note the list of ISPs is non-exhaustive and there are other ISPs in the market.
This article was first published on 18 October 2021 and updated with new information
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