As a business leader, you understand how critical accessing cloud resources is for your business. Reliable internet access is the backbone of your operations. Still, unexpected outages, which happen to at least 70% of U.S. businesses annually, can disrupt these processes and lead to costly downtime and frustrated users. Even without disruptive service outages, business-grade internet service agreements only promise 99.9% uptime annually. That equates to 44 minutes per month on average without internet access. 5G backup offers a promising solution, leveraging next-generation cellular technology to provide a secondary internet connection, making it a cost-effective and flexible solution.
What is 5G Backup?
5G backup utilizes the power of 5G cellular networks to create a secondary internet connection for your business. This acts as a safety net, minimizing disruptions to your cloud-based resources even if your primary connection should fail. Imagine it as an insurance policy for your end user’s productivity.
Benefits of 5G Backup:
- Enhanced Reliability: 5G boasts superior uptime to traditional cellular networks, offering a more dependable secondary connection. It minimizes the impact of outages, keeping your business connected and operational during disruptions.
- Fast Speeds: Compared to 4G LTE, 5G offers significantly faster upload and download speeds. This translates into a more seamless user experience, even if you lose your primary connection.
- Improved Flexibility: 5G’s wider coverage area provides a reliable backup connection even in remote locations. It leverages existing cellular infrastructure, readily available in most areas, eliminating the need for additional installations.
- Rapid Deployment: Setting up 5G backup is faster and easier than traditional backup Internet providers. This minimizes disruption to your existing setup, making it ideal for situations where immediate redundancy is crucial.
Is it Right for Your Business?
While 5G backup offers significant advantages, a one-size-fits-all solution doesn’t exist. Here are some key factors to consider:
- Bandwidth Needs: Understanding your current bandwidth requirements is crucial to implementing a 5G Internet connection. Monitoring your current usage can determine how 5G is implemented. If you have a backup solution that requires gigabit bandwidth, consider limiting the 5G available bandwidth to that solution.
- Existing Infrastructure: Companies with existing backup solutions should weigh the cost-benefit of transitioning to 5G. Analyze your backup’s strengths and weaknesses, and evaluate how 5G can address gaps or offer improvements. Consider budget and location to determine if 5G backup aligns with your needs.
- 5G Availability: While coverage is expanding rapidly, 5G availability might be limited in certain areas. As of November 2023, 5G penetration in North America reached 61%. Check coverage maps to ensure reliable connectivity in your business location.
Optimizing Your 5G Backup Strategy:
Here are some tips to maximize the effectiveness of your 5G Strategy:
- Identify Critical Access: Prioritize the connections that require the most immediate access in case of an outage. This helps manage data usage and ensures essential operations remain functional.
- Prioritize Inbound Connections: Most 5G providers limit the service to one public IP address. If you have internal resources available from the outside, prioritize the inbound need in the event of an outage.
- Monitor Usage: Proactively monitor your 5G data usage to avoid exceeding data caps and incurring overage charges.
5G backup offers a compelling solution for businesses seeking a reliable, high-speed method to safeguard their productivity. You can determine if it fits your business continuity plan by carefully assessing your needs and infrastructure. KeyNet has helped many clients navigate the requirements and needs for setting up 5G backups. Contact us if you want to have a conversation to see if having a this solution is right for your business.
