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 every team member can connect with one another through a variety of platforms. We liked that business owners can choose to either bundle business internet with phone 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 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 other business internet service providers we reviewed.

We also liked that the Online Admin portal helps keep track of the app usage, giving supervisors access to data analytics to understand which users are using the app the most and for better performance monitoring. In addition, a dedicated phone number can 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, this service costs only $19.99 per month for 12 months.

Business WiFi

Adding secure Business WiFi is simple with Spectrum Business WiFi. For an additional $7.99 per month for Spectrum Business Internet customers, Business WiFi is perfect to give guests or employees WiFi access on a secure connection. The mobility that WiFi offers is perfect for when employees or guests need to stay connected while moving around in and out of the workplace. We found this especially helpful for business owners that want to effectively manage their workforce of remote or hybrid employees. Should these 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 who are visiting the office can also benefit from a separate free WiFi connection that’s included in your Business Internet plan. Note that this is different from Spectrum Business WiFi.

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 8 hours of battery backup. For an additional $20 per month, this add-on will include an LTE backup modem that will keep up to four critical devices connected. This add-on is available to Spectrum Business customers only.

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 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 in the event that you want to switch plans or providers. This feature applies to both internet-only plans and bundled plans, which offers flexibility for new business customers. While 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 Buyout feature. 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. Provided that the existing contract clearly states “early-termination fee,” business customers should have no issue switching to Spectrum.

Spectrum Business Internet Cost

Excluding the Internet Gig plan, Spectrum’s Business Internet costs are as follows when bundled with phone or TV:

• 300 Mbps INTERNET:  $49.99 per month for 12 months ($64.99 for internet only)
• 600 Mbps INTERNET ULTRA: $99.99 per month for 12 months ($114.99 for internet only)
• 1 Gbps Internet Gig: $164.99 per month

Business customers purchasing the Internet Gig plan will also receive free Business WiFi, which typically carries an additional charge ($7.99 per month) with other plans. Regardless of which Business Internet plan is chosen, customers will 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 free installation and a free modem. 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 will even 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 offers an online support hub that offers customers a self-guided library of troubleshooting guides and tutorials. This 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 either other Business products or Spectrum’s Business Connect. In addition, these bundles come with a 12-month agreement, whereas other internet service providers are month-to-month.

Furthermore, two of the three Spectrum Business Internet plans do not include Wireless Internet Backup and WiFi; these add-ons must be purchased separately. While remote teams may be unaffected and could easily work with the Business Internet provided, 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 WiFi and Internet Backup will need to consider these 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 of the vendors. 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.