Spectrum Business Internet Review

Why Spectrum Business Internet Is Best for Remote Teams

Spectrum is a great option for businesses that function on a hybrid or remote work model, offering competitively priced bundles of internet, voice and TV plans. As remote teams grow, it’s important to ensure that team members can connect with one another through a variety of platforms. 

We liked that business owners can choose to either bundle business internet with phone and TV or use Spectrum’s Business Connect app to consolidate all their communication tools into one easy-to-use app. Like most of the business internet service providers we’ve reviewed, Spectrum offers a discount when pairing an internet plan with phone or TV service. Spectrum also doesn’t require businesses to sign a contract, nor does it add hidden fees or taxes on top of the base price.

Spectrum Business Internet Features

Spectrum Business Connect With RingCentral

Designed to keep business customers and their employees connected through one central platform, Spectrum Business Connect with RingCentral is an all-in-one app that makes calling, texting, video conferencing and other methods of communication easy to use. We liked that employees can easily access all their communication tools in one centralized place, an offering we didn’t find with the other business internet service providers we reviewed.

We also liked that the Online Admin portal helps keep track of app usage, giving supervisors access to data analytics to understand which users are using the app the most and for better performance monitoring. A dedicated phone number can also be used across multiple devices, providing a single point of contact for customers.

Spectrum Business Connect can be used with your existing phone hardware or as a softphone app. When bundled with Spectrum Business Internet, the service costs only $19.99 per user for two or more users for 24 months.

Advanced Wi-Fi

Adding secure Advanced Wi-Fi is simple with Spectrum Advanced Wi-Fi. For an additional $10 per month for Spectrum Business Internet customers, Advanced Wi-Fi is perfect to give guests or employees Wi-Fi access on a secure connection. The mobility Wi-Fi offers is perfect for when employees or guests need to stay connected while moving around in and out of the workplace. 

We found it especially helpful for business owners who want to effectively manage their workforce of remote or hybrid employees. If the employees decide to come to the office, they won’t have to limit their network access to an office desk; they’ll have the ability to connect through their own devices. 

Guests at the office can also benefit from a separate free Business Guest Wi-Fi connection that’s included in Business Internet plans. Note that Business Guest Wi-Fi requires the Advanced Wi-Fi feature, but it’s included when you purchase a Business Gigabit plan.

Wireless Internet Backup

Internet and power outages can happen, and they present a serious threat to productivity for remote teams. To keep businesses running smoothly, Spectrum’s wireless internet backup serves as a solution for constant connectivity, a critical feature we looked for in our review of business internet service providers. 

In the unfortunate event that a business connection goes down, Spectrum’s wireless LTE connection will automatically activate and provide up to eight hours of battery backup. For an additional $20 per month, the add-on will include an LTE backup modem that will keep up to four critical devices connected. The feature is available only to Spectrum Business customers. 

Business Packages

Spectrum is widely known for its business packages, catering to small businesses of all types. Combining high-quality business internet with either Business Voice, Business TV or Business Connect, Spectrum provides three business packages that could help small businesses save money in the long run. We liked that each plan comes with useful features such as free desktop security, custom email addresses and domain names.

No Annual Contracts

Similar to other providers, Spectrum Business Internet allows its customers to use their services on a month-to-month basis. There’s no need to commit to any service agreements, and there are no cancellation fees or early termination fees if you want to switch plans or providers. That feature applies to both internet-only plans and bundled plans, which offers flexibility for new business customers. Although there is no contract agreement, the prices listed for each plan are valid for only 12 months. Prices may be higher after that period.

Competitor Contract Buyouts

Spectrum makes it easy for new business customers to transition from their current internet service provider thanks to its contract buyouts. If a customer wishes to switch providers for its business internet, Spectrum will cover up to $1,000 in early termination fees from a competing contract, one of the most generous buyout offers around. As long as the existing contract clearly states “early termination fee,” business customers should have no issue switching to Spectrum.

Spectrum Business Internet Cost

Spectrum’s Business Internet costs are as follows when bundled with mobile and Advanced Wi-Fi: 

• 400 Mbps Business Internet:  $49.99 per month for 12 months ($64.99 for internet only)
• 600 Mbps Business Internet Ultra: $99.99 per month for 12 months ($114.99 for internet only)
• 1 Gbps Business Internet Gig: $129.99 per month ($164.99 for internet only)

Business customers purchasing the Internet Gig plan will also receive free Advanced Wi-Fi, which typically carries an additional charge ($10 per month) with other plans. Regardless of which Business Internet plan you choose, you’ll get free custom email addresses and domain name registration, a free modem, and free desktop security for the office. 

Setup

All business internet plans come with a free Spectrum Internet modem, although it’s unclear if installation is included. The turnaround time for Spectrum Business Internet to be installed, however, depends on location. Typically, on-site installation can be done within 24 hours, and customers will be able to schedule one-hour appointments at their convenience. Spectrum typically will send reminder notifications leading up to the appointment. 

Customer Service

For general inquiries regarding business internet, customers can access Spectrum’s Business Internet customer service by phone. We liked that customer support is available by phone 24/7 as part of all business packages, which wasn’t the case with some other business internet service providers we reviewed.

Spectrum also provides an online support hub that offers customers a self-guided library of troubleshooting guides and tutorials. It can be useful for simpler fixes that don’t require customer support.

Drawbacks

Spectrum provides a discount only when a Business Internet plan is bundled with other business products or Spectrum’s Business Connect. The bundles also come with a 12-month agreement, whereas other internet service providers are month to month.

Two of the three Spectrum Business Internet plans do not include wireless internet backup and Wi-Fi; those add-ons must be purchased separately. Remote teams may be unaffected and could easily work with the internet provided, but it’s critical for employees who work in a hybrid setting or in the office to have internet backup in order to keep business-critical operations going. Business customers who want to add Wi-Fi and internet backup will need to consider the extra charges.

Methodology

When reviewing business internet providers, we considered some of the features that business owners would need in order to get their business going. Part of that process included extensive research, participating in provider calls and deciding on a best pick case for each vendor. Factors such as installation times, internet speeds, business phone services and internet availability were part of the process. For remote teams, we chose Spectrum as the ideal business internet provider.

Overall Value

We recommend Spectrum Business Internet for …

• Remote and hybrid teams
• Small business owners working from home

We do not recommend Spectrum Business Internet for …

• Small brick-and-mortar businesses
• Startups that operate primarily in person