Choosing the Right Internet Speed for Your Office
How many employees, cameras, payment terminals and cloud apps do you run? Use this guide to size your office connection.
An under-sized connection slows down every employee, every day. An over-sized one wastes money. You don't need a consultant to get close to the right answer — just a clear picture of how your office uses the internet at its busiest.
Count users and what they do
- Light users working in email, browser-based apps and messaging: about 2–3 Mbps each.
- Video-heavy users on calls for much of the day: about 5–8 Mbps each during calls.
- Heavy users — designers, developers, video editors, architects — syncing large files: 20 Mbps or more each at peak.
Add always-on devices
CCTV cameras uploading to the cloud, VoIP phones, POS terminals, digital signage and smart building systems all consume bandwidth around the clock. Eight HD cameras streaming to the cloud can use 15–30 Mbps of upload on their own.
Account for cloud applications and backups
Cloud ERP, accounting, CRM and file sync generate steady traffic. Backups can consume everything available — schedule them outside office hours so they don't compete with calls.
A rough guide
- Shop, clinic or studio (1–5 users): 100 Mbps business fiber
- Small office (5–20 users): 200–300 Mbps
- Growing office (20–50 users): 500 Mbps–1 Gbps, or an Internet Leased Line
- 50+ users or servers on site: dedicated leased line, ideally with a backup link
Upload deserves equal attention
Video calls, cloud uploads, remote access and CCTV all depend on upload. Fiber provides strong upload; if you need guaranteed symmetric speeds, choose an ILL.
Plan for growth
Add 30% headroom to your estimate and choose a provider that can upgrade your plan remotely as the team grows.
Wi-Fi and wiring matter too
A fast connection can be undermined by a single consumer router or poor Wi-Fi coverage. Wire desks where possible and use business-grade access points for open-plan spaces.
The bottom line
Estimate peak usage honestly, add headroom and pick a plan you can upgrade easily. Revisit the numbers whenever headcount or cloud usage grows significantly.
Learn more about Business Broadband from UbiFi, or talk to our team.
Business-grade fiber broadband for shops, clinics, studios and small offices — truly unlimited, with static IP options and priority repair.
