What is the difference between dedicated and shared Internet?

• Dedicated Internet access provides guaranteed bandwidth at all times. If a business subscribes to a 100 Mbps dedicated Internet connection, it will always have access to 100 Mbps of bandwidth.
• Shared Internet access provides bandwidth up to a specified level, and bandwidth is shared among all subscribers. If a business subscribes to a 100 Mbps shared Internet connection, it may get 100 Mbps of bandwidth at certain times, but will likely receive far less bandwidth during peak traffic periods when other subscribers are also using the connection.
   

Enterprises today increasingly rely on bandwidth-intensive applications for critical business operations. That means IT teams must weigh the pros and cons of dedicated Internet access versus shared Internet access when contracting for Internet connectivity. But what is the difference between dedicated and shared Internet exactly, and which option is right for your business?

What is the difference between dedicated and shared Internet for applications?

Technology like VoIP phone systems, cloud applications, videoconferencing, video streaming apps and remote desktops will perform much better with dedicated Internet access.

What is the difference between dedicated and shared Internet in terms of cost?

Dedicated Internet costs more than shared access, though dedicated access can help to reduce overall costs by increasing productivity.

What is the difference between dedicated and shared Internet for upload and download speeds?

Dedicated Internet typically offers synchronous upload and download speeds, meaning that bandwidth is guaranteed to be the same for both. Fast upload speeds are critical for businesses with lots of remote users, cloud apps and VoIP technology. Shared Internet access will typically have upload speeds that are significantly slower than download speeds.

What is the difference between dedicated and shared Internet for security?

Dedicated Internet offers a private connection, providing greater security than the public connection of shared Internet access.

What is the difference between dedicated and shared Internet with Spectrum Enterprise?

Spectrum Enterprise provides fiber Internet solutions that deliver dedicated Internet access and high-performance connections for data-intensive applications. We offer scalable connectivity with bandwidth up to 100 Gbps, along with SLAs that guarantee availability and competitive pricing that makes dedicated Internet access more affordable.