Lauren Chapman, Author at Business Centurylink Resources

Difference between residential and business internet

Get reliable business internet for your small business with CenturyLink® Business Internet. Call 1-833-467-1629 TODAY!

Written by Lauren Chapman • June 15, 2023 • 3 min read

Remote work has become increasingly common over the last couple of years, leaving many wondering whether residential or business internet is best for their home office.

From team conference calls to surfing the web for leisure, a strong internet connection is more important than ever. Whether you’re an employee or a small business owner working out of a home office, here’s all you need to know about choosing the right internet plan.

Residential vs. business internet features

Both residential and business internet provide a steady connection. However, plans, price points, and speed can vary significantly between the two. Understanding the difference in features such as speed, IP address, bandwidth, and customer service will help you decide which internet connection is best for you.

What is a good internet speed for business?

A business needs at least 25 Mbps of download speed and 3 Mbps of upload speed to complete daily operations such as video conferences, sending emails, and sharing files. Depending on the size of your business, you may need a faster connection. Compared to residential internet speeds, which typically range from 1 Mbps to 1 Gbps, business internet speeds range from 5 Mbps to 1 Gig.

IP address

Many residential internet plans operate with a dynamic IP address, meaning the IP address could change at the spur of a moment. This is less than ideal if you’re relying on your internet connection for business purposes.

Typically, business internet operates on a static IP address that does not change. Static IPs are most commonly used for permanent addresses, like business headquarters, and stay the same until the device is decommissioned or service requirements change. Benefits include easy remote access, more reliable communication, and better server hosting.

Bandwidth

Unlike speed, which it’s commonly confused with, bandwidth measures the maximum amount of data that can be sent at a set time on a network. Think of speed as a track runner and bandwidth as the lanes on the track. If there are 10 data runners, but only 2 lanes, the data will have a lot more trouble passing through than it will with 5 lanes.

Since businesses require a greater level of network reliability, a dedicated bandwidth allocation is vital for operations. That’s why business internet plans come equipped with greater bandwidth than residential plans. The amount of bandwidth your business needs depends largely on the number of employees and devices that will connect to the network.

Customer service

Residential customers do not have a customer support team solely focused on answering their questions and concerns.

Most business internet plans, like CenturyLink Business Internet, come with personalized customer support. This saves valuable time and ensures your business internet can operate at full capacity to not hinder business operations.

Making the switch

Switching from residential internet service to a business internet plan with CenturyLink is simple. Check to see if business internet is available in your area. Click here.

Can I use residential internet for business?

While it is possible, we do not recommend using residential internet in place of business internet.

What is considered business internet?

Simply put, business internet is an internet service with features designed for the needs of business owners and their employees.

Do I need high-speed internet to work from home?

Determining the speed of the internet you will need while working from home depends on how many devices will be connected and what tasks they’ll perform.

To find a plan that works for you call 1-833-467-1629.

What internet do offices use?

Most office buildings use business internet for daily operations.

All content is for informational purposes only, may require user’s additional research, and is provided “as is” without any warranty, condition of any kind (express or implied), or guarantee of outcome or results. Use of this content is at user’s own risk. All third-party company and product or service names referenced in this article are for identification purposes only and do not imply endorsement or affiliation with CenturyLink. If CenturyLink products and offerings are referenced in the content, they are accurate as of the date of issue. CenturyLink services are not available everywhere. For fiber services, CenturyLink service usually means 100% fiber-optic network to your location but, in limited circumstances, CenturyLink may need to deploy alternative technologies coupled with a non-fiber connection from a certain point (usually the curb) to your location in order to provide the advertised download speeds. ©2023 CenturyLink. All Rights Reserved.

Top 10 Successful U.S. Startups With The Most Initial Funding

View our list of the top ten U.S. startups with the most initial funding.

Written by Lauren Chapman • April 6, 2023 • 4 min read

Venturing out into the world of entrepreneurship is an exciting time, but whether your start-up business sinks or floats often depends on funding.

The team at Business.CenturyLink.com looked at some of the most successful businesses founded in the past decade to determine the 10 with the largest sum of initial funding. We uncovered that along with hard work, strong investors and partnerships could make all the difference.

The Top 10 Startups With The Most Initial Funding

Meet The 10 Startups With The Most Initial Funding

1. OneTrust

As a Software Development company, OneTrust provides privacy management to companies to help them stay compliant with privacy and security laws. OneTrust was founded in 2016 by Kabir Barday. In total this company has raised $946.4 million including $200 million raised in Series A with only one investor. Their last funding amount was $6 million in Venture – Series Unknown and their lead investors are Insight Partners, TCV, and SoftBank Vision Fund. The company is currently valued at $5.1 billion.

In addition to its impressive revenue, OneTrust has been awarded “Great Place to Work,”“America’s Top Private Company” by Inc.5000, “The Cloud 100 2021” by Forbes, and many other accolades. OneTrust is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia with further domestic offices in Denver, Colorado, and two overseas offices, in London and Bangalore.

2. Neuralink

This biotechnology research company focuses on creating the future of brain-machine interfaces and was founded in 2016 by Elon Musk and Max Hodak. Neuralink is working to change brain-wire devices to microchips that operate via Bluetooth system.

In Series A, the company raised $107 million with only one investor, none other than multi-billionaire Elon Musk. Since then, the company has been able to raise $363 million of funding money and the company is currently valued at $1 billion. On May 1, 2021, Max Hodak announced that he was no longer at the company. He stated that he “was not a fan of leadership leaving the company without having a single product in the market.” As of late, Neuralink has been targeted by the media due to Elon Musk’s lack of transparency regarding what the devices the company produces can or can’t do.

3. Nuro

Nuro is based in Mountain View, California, and was founded by Jiajun Zhu and Dave Ferguson in 2016. This robotics company focuses on developing eco–friendly electric autonomous vehicles designed to bring the things you need, from produce to prescriptions, right to your door. Nuro raised $92.1 million in Series A and in their latest funding round, Series D, they raised $600 million. Currently, the company is valued at $5 billion.

Last year, Nuro was named one of the “Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in 2022” by FastCompany and “America’s Best Startup Employers” by Forbes. Previous autonomous vehicle testing partnerships include FedEx, Domino’s Pizza, and Chipotle.

4. Daily Harvest

Daily Harvest was founded in 2015 by Rachel Drori. This food and beverage company is on a mission to make plant-based foods more accessible by eliminating barriers to cost, time, and accessibility.

To better serve their customers, Daily Harvest offers subscription-based smoothies, bowls, soups, flatbreads, and more at an affordable price. The company is currently valued at $1.1 billion. Some of this company’s investors include celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Serena Williams, Bobby Flay, and Hailey Duff.

5. Boom Supersonic

Boom Supersonic is an aviation and aerospace company founded in 2014 by Blake Scholl and Josh Krall looking to redefine commercial flights through supersonic travel.

In Series A the company was able to raise $33 million. Throughout eight funding rounds, Boom Supersonic raised $241.1 million. Today, the company is valued at $1 billion. Boom Supersonic selected Greensboro, North Carolina for their first supersonic airliner manufacturing facility; it’s estimated that they’ll begin production in 2024.

6. Better

This innovative financial services company focuses on changing the way people buy and own a home. The company raised $30 million in Series A and in their last round, Secondary Market, they raised $500 million. The company is currently valued at $6 billion and they are based in New York City.

As of late, Better has been in the news due to a 5-month long mass layoff period. The CEO and founder Vishal Garag informed 900 employees that 15% of the workforce would be fired in a Zoom call. Since then, there have been more layoffs and it is estimated that 1,200 – 1,500 employees have been affected.

7. Samsara

Samsara is a computer software company that focuses on providing an operations cloud that increases safety, efficiency, and sustainability. This company was founded in 2015 by Sanjit Biswas and John Bicket who previously co-founded Meraki, now owned by Cisco Systems.

During Series A, the company raised $25 million. The company went public on December 15, 2021. Their stock opened at $23.00 and it’s registered under the ticker NYSE:IOT.

8. Ramp

Ramp is a financial services company building the next generation of finance tools. They focus on helping corporations to improve their accounting and financial processes to save businesses time and money.

The company was founded in 2019 by Barrick Bain, Eric Glyman, Gene Lee, Karim Atiyeh, and Santana Henry. Since its inception, the company has obtained $1.4 billion in funding from Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, and Debt Financing.

9. Drift

Drift was founded in 2015 by Elias Torres and David Cancel and is based in Boston, Massachusetts. This internet company helps businesses by connecting them with people at the right time using the drift conversation cloud. Through this connection, companies can generate revenue and communicate with customers. The company raised $15 million in Series A with 10 investors and it’s currently valued at $1 billion.

10. Attentive

As a marketing and advertising company, Attentive provides comprehensive text message marketing solutions that help companies increase their online revenue. The company was founded in 2016 by Andrew Jones, Brain Long, and Ethan Lo. Since its inception, Attentive has raised $863 million in Seed Round, Series A, Series B, Series C, Series D, Series C, and Venture Round.

Methodology

We gathered a list of 100 businesses from LinkedIn, Forbes, and Crunchbase to pinpoint some of the top startups in the United States. We used Crunchbase, a leader in private-company data, to gather insights and analytics from every startup. Some of the information included funding rounds, money raised, investor and lead investor names, news, and information about the companies. This allowed us to rank the startups by the ones with the most initial funding. Some of the variables we used are initial funding, total funding amount, latest funding round date and type, and lead investors.

Who we are

Business.CenturyLink.com is an authorized sales agent of CenturyLink. For media inquiries contact media@business.centurylink.com.

How to reboot your CenturyLink Business Internet router

Learn how rebooting your CenturyLink Business Internet router can help your small business internet connection.

Written by Lauren Chapman • January 27, 2023 • 2 min read

To ensure CenturyLink Business Internet customers get all they need out of their internet connection, we encourage our customers to do regular router maintenance.

Rebooting your router regularly helps to clear out the cache, refresh your devices, and keep your small business internet running smoothly. In this article, we’ll discuss common reasons you may need to reboot your router and several ways you can do so.

3 common reasons to reboot your router

Your router is overheating

Internet routers consist of processors, system memory, and transistors that operate by generating heat and need ventilation to dissipate that heat. Blocked ventilation can lead to equipment malfunctions and device failure over time.

Prevent overheating by setting your router up away from heat sources and rebooting it regularly.

There’s a conflict with your IP address

Each router has a specific public IP address assigned by an internet provider. A router also has a private IP address that interfaces with your devices and assigns individual IP addresses to each of them. An IP address conflict occurs when two devices have the same address.

Theoretically, this shouldn’t happen because the router assigns addresses based on each device’s wireless and wired networking hardware. But every now and then, conflicts can appear, especially if you assign a static IP address—one that never changes—to a device. Restart your router along with the devices with conflicting addresses to clear up this issue.

Your modem and router aren’t communicating

A modem acts as a translator taking signals from your internet provider and converting them into signals the router can understand and distribute. These two components are what maintain your WiFi connection.

Sometimes, these signals get misconstrued. Reboot your router and modem to clear up the confusion.

Reboot your Router

Option 1 (0:32): Manually reboot your router. To do so, unplug your router, wait one minute, and then plug it back in to reconnect.

Option 2 (0:53): Use the My CenturyLink app to reboot from anywhere with the touch of a button. You can also schedule regular reboots ahead of time.

Option 3 (1:10): Program an outlet timer to automatically reboot your router at a convenient time.

Option 4 (1:24): Connect a smart plug to your wireless network. This allows you to reboot your router remotely and set up a custom schedule for future reboots.

FAQ

Q: Does CenturyLink Business Internet offer customer support?

A: Yes. CenturyLink Business does offer customer support for our small business internet customers. For general service questions, call 800-871-9244. For technical support, call 800-954-1211.

Q: Is resetting my router the same as rebooting it?

A: No. Resetting your router returns your router to its factory settings. Rebooting your router is simply a restart to help improve your connection.

Q: How often should I reboot my router?

A: It’s recommended that you reboot your router once a month.

Does Your Small Business Need Fiber Internet?

Is fiber internet the best solution for your small business? CenturyLink Business internet has the answers you need. Call 1-888-511-1099 today!

Written by Lauren Chapman • December 20, 2022 • 3 min read

What is fiber internet for business?

Fiber-optic internet is an advanced business solution that can help take your business operations to the next level.

Fiber internet is a type of technology that transmits data by sending light along thin glass fibers. Most business owners enjoy fiber-optic internet because it can easily transport large amounts of data and support multiple signals at a time—giving them a leg up against the competition.

4 Benefits of Fiber Internet

The business world is booming and business owners need fast and reliable internet to keep up with day-to-day demands and accurately meet the needs of their customers. A fiber internet connection from CenturyLink Business can provide just that, and then some! Let’s go over the key benefits together.

With fiber internet for your small business you can:

Do more without compromising on speed.

Unlike cable or wireless internet, fiber internet allows users to work at high capacity without compromising on speed. While cable internet typically sees speeds between 20 Mbps and 100 Mbps, fiber internet can typically reach speeds of up to 940Mbps.

Fiber networks also have lower latency which means users experience minimal lag time during the transfer of data between their devices and service provider. Latency can show itself through choppy connections or slow speeds on applications that require data transfer such as video conference calls or file sharing.

With fiber internet your small business can maintain blazing fast speeds allowing you to easily meet the demands of your customers.

Match your upload and download speeds.

Download speed refers to the amount of megabits (Mbps) per second it takes your server to download data to your device(s). Common forms of downloads are files, videos, images, and text. Upload speed, on the other hand, is the speed your Internet connection requires to accurately send data from one device to another or to the Internet. A fast upload speed is great for virtual conference calls, live streaming videos, cloud storage, and frequently sending large files over the Internet.

Having fast download and upload speeds can take your small business operations to the next level. Not only will in-house tasks be easier to complete, you’ll also enhance your interactions with vendors and customers.

Increase your connection reliability.

Are you coming to your wits end with network slowdowns and dropped calls? Unlike cable internet, which can be prone to service hiccups, fiber gives you the reliability you need for your small business. The dependability of fiber internet lies solely in its makeup. While a cable connection transfers data directly through a coaxial cable, or coax cable, fiber transmits data using pulses of light that travel across fiber cables at speeds close to the speed of light.

Fiber optics can typically handle more users and more data at consistently higher speeds. Instead of constantly worrying about your internet connection failing, you can focus more on closing the deals that matter.

Improve your VoIP connections.

In an attempt to become more cloud based, many small business owners have switched from landline phones to VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phones. If you’ve made this change for your business, you’re relying on an internet connection for your voice communications. That’s why it’s so important to have both a fast and reliable internet connection.

With CenturyLink small business fiber-optic services, your VoIP service will have the same clear signal as your business internet service. Having fiber there to support in every aspect isn’t just convenient, it’s a smart business decision.

How CenturyLink Small Business can support you

Looking to switch to CenturyLink Business fiber internet for your small business? Find a plan that works here!

Do I need fiber internet?

While fiber internet isn’t a necessity, it’s a powerful asset to have. From its reliability to simultaneous download and upload speeds fiber internet has it all. Call 1-888-511-1099 to learn more!

How fast is fiber-optic internet?

Fiber internet can reach speeds of up to 940Mbps.

Is fiber internet better than a cable connection?

Whether or not fiber is better than a traditional cable connection depends largely on the needs of your business. To speak with a member of our customer support team and review your options call 1-888-511-1099.

This content is provided for informational purposes only and may require additional research and substantiation by the end user. In addition, the information is provided "as is" without any warranty or condition of any kind, either express or implied. Use of this information is at the end user's own risk. CenturyLink does not warrant that the information will meet the end user's requirements or that the implementation or usage of this information will result in the desired outcome of the end user. This document represents CenturyLink’s products and offerings as of the date of issue. CenturyLink service usually means 100% fiber-optic network to your location, in limited circumstances CenturyLink may need to deploy alternative technologies coupled with a non-fiber connection from a certain point (usually the curb) to your location in order to provide the advertised download speeds. Services not available everywhere. CenturyLink may change or cancel products and services or substitute similar products and services at its sole discretion without notice. ©2022 CenturyLink. All Rights Reserved.

Can you say the most commonly mispronounced brand names?

Can you pronounce these brand names? Our team at CenturyLink took a look at the most commonly mispronounced brand names and how to say them.

Written by Lauren Chapman • November 14, 2022 • 2 min read

Retail is an ever evolving and growing industry, which makes it difficult for many brands to gain long term success. Still, there are many brands across the world with staying power, ranging from fashion icons like Givenchy and Yves Saint Laurent to carmaker Hyundai.

While these brands are well established and offer high-quality products, many people still aren’t sure how to pronounce them. We surveyed 1,500 Americans to uncover the most commonly mispronounced brand names by generation and narrowed down our results to the top 10 overall. Let’s see which popular brands made our list and learn their proper pronunciations!

The top 10 most mispronounced brand names

Methodology

To gather responses for the survey we used Pollfish, a market research software that allowed us to collect insights and results in real time. We gathered a total of 1,500 responses across the United States. This allowed us to analyze the responses across generations.

Explore the full data

Interesting findings

50% of the participants selected (Porsh) and 14% selected (Por-shee), which are both incorrect pronunciations of the German luxury car brand Porsche. Only 35% of people selected the correct pronunciation (Por-shuh).
41% of the GenZ participants selected (Huhn-die) and 23% selected High-un-day, which are both incorrect pronunciations of the South Korean automotive company Hyundai. Only 35% of people selected the correct pronunciation (Huhn-day).
44% of participants selected (Eevs-saint-lew-rant) and 18% selected (Ihvs-saan-lor-ent), which are both incorrect pronunciations of the luxury fashion brand Yves Saint Laurent. Only 38% of people selected the correct pronunciation (Eev-saan-law-raant).
45% of the Millennial participants selected (Nuh-teh-luh) and 11% selected (Nut-la), which are both incorrect pronunciations of the brand Nutella. Only 44% of people selected the correct pronunciation (Noo-teh-luh).
43% of participants selected (Giv-en-shee) and 28% selected (Zhee-vin-chee), which are both incorrect pronunciations of the French luxury brand Givenchy. Only 29% of people selected the correct pronunciation (Zhee-vaan-shee).

Business.CenturyLink.com is an authorized sales agent of CenturyLink. For inquiries please email media@business.centurylink.com.

The importance of testing your internet speed

Learn why you should test your internet speed.

Written by Lauren Chapman • October 31, 2022 • 2 min read

An internet connection is one of the main components that keeps your business running. From maintaining relationships with your customers and employees to completing daily tasks, an internet connection is at the core of your business’s productivity.

Since a WiFi connection is such a vital part of your business, ensuring it’s operating at its best is important. Testing your internet speed keeps tabs on your connection and identifies room for improvement, but getting started is challenging for some.

In this article we’ll go over frequently asked questions related to testing internet speed and provide our expert advice on the topic.

Why should I test my internet speed?

Expert advice: In short, testing your small business internet is important to identify problems and room for improvement, ensure your employees and customers have the support they need, and tell you if it’s time for an upgrade.

For example, if your network is prone to slow down at certain times of the day an internet speed test will give more insight as to why that may be. From there, you can decide whether your internet package needs to be upgraded or if it’s a matter of decreasing the amount of devices connected to your network.

What does an internet speed test show?

Expert advice: An internet speed test measures the approximate speed and quality of your connection to the internet.

A speed tool uses multiple consecutive tests to analyze your internet connection, examining three factors, namely ping (internet latency), download speed, and upload speed.

What is the ideal internet speed for a small business?

Expert advice: What constitutes a “good WiFi speed” for your small business boils down to how you use the internet and the number of simultaneous connections you have.

A general rule of thumb is to keep internet speeds around 100Mbps at a minimum. From there, you can increase your internet speed if need be by upgrading your business internet package.

Does CenturyLink offer an internet speed test?

Expert advice: CenturyLink Business offers a free internet speed test that gives you real-time feedback on your small business’s internet speed.

If you’re interested in seeing where your internet stands, feel free to complete our internet speed test here.

How CenturyLink Business can support

All in all, testing your internet speed on a regular basis can help set your business up for long-term success. Visit our business support page to explore other ways our CenturyLink Business experts can assist your organization.

This content is provided for informational purposes only and may require additional research and substantiation by the end user. In addition, the information is provided "as is" without any warranty or condition of any kind, either express or implied. Use of this information is at the end user's own risk. CenturyLink does not warrant that the information will meet the end user's requirements or that the implementation or usage of this information will result in the desired outcome of the end user. This document represents CenturyLink’s products and offerings as of the date of issue. Services not available everywhere. CenturyLink may change or cancel products and services or substitute similar products and services at its sole discretion without notice. ©2022 CenturyLink. All Rights Reserved.

How to determine bandwidth needs for your small business

Here's everything you need to know about bandwidth needs for your small business.

Written by Lauren Chapman • September 15, 2022 • 2 min read

As a business owner, ensuring you have fast and reliable internet to operate your business effectively should be top of mind. From accessing cloud-based storage to sending daily reports, an internet connection is at the core of all you do.

While speed and reliability are both important there is another, often ignored, equally important aspect to consider, and that’s the bandwidth of your network. Bandwidth is what allows data to be transferred over a wired or wireless connection. Too little bandwidth can lead to a slow connection and paying for too much can be a waste; that’s why it’s important to find a happy medium to fit the needs of your business.

Let’s take a deeper dive into bandwidth, why it matters, and how to determine the bandwidth your business needs.

How does bandwidth work and why is it important?

Although bandwidth affects internet speed, there are differences in how they are measured.

Bandwidth is measured as the amount of data that can be transferred from one point to another within a network in a specific amount of time. The measurement of bandwidth is typically expressed in “Megabits per second” or Mbps. Internet speed, on the other hand, shows how quickly data is pulled from the internet to a device (download speed) and pushed from that same device to the Internet (upload speed).

Choosing lower bandwidth means less data can be sent over the network at one time. That’s why it’s important to choose a Centurylink internet for business package that not only provides adequate internet speeds, but also the bandwidth your business needs to operate efficiently.

How do I determine how much bandwidth my business needs?

Determining the bandwidth your business needs largely depends on three factors: the number of devices on your network, amount of users at any given time, and online activity.

Let’s explore each of these factors in detail to better understand how they each contribute to your bandwidth requirements.

Number of devices

The number of devices on your network can affect your bandwidth. The more devices you have, the more bandwidth you will need. When estimating the amount of devices that will need to connect to your internet network, be sure to include personal devices such as mobile phones, tablets, and smart watches as well.

Amount of users

As a general rule of thumb, you’ll need about 10 to 15 Mb per employee. While three-quarters of small businesses have fewer than 10 employees, that may not be the case for your business. When counting the number of employees that’ll need internet access be sure to also include clients and customers who may need regular access.

Online activity

No two small businesses are the same, and neither is their daily internet activity. Using the internet to check emails and read articles won’t use a ton of bandwidth, but activities like video conferencing, streaming, and file sharing will. That’s why it’s important to set realistic expectations for what your network can host.

Small Business Internet With CenturyLink

CenturyLink offers internet service for small businesses of all shapes and sizes. Our business support center representatives will help you customize your plan so that you get the internet speed and bandwidth you need. Whether you’re a start-up or we

ll established local shop, we have a small business internet option for you!

Get Small Business Internet

Interesting Findings

New York’s most googled question was ‘How to advertise your business’. According to a study released by Buffer, out of 20 sites Facebook is the top social media site with 2.9 billion Monthly Active Users (MAUs). YouTube came in second with 2.2 billion MAUs, and WhatsApp was third with 2 billion MAUs.
According to the ‘2021 Small Business Profile’: there are 61.2 million small business employees in the U.S.—that’s 46.8% of U.S. employees.
99.3% of businesses in Utah qualify as a small business and 45.4% of employees in the state work for a small business company.

Methodology

We used SemRush, a keyword research tool software used by marketing professionals to gather data and insights on the most googled business questions. Upon gathering the top ten results for business question keywords we obtained from SemRush, we ran them through Google Trends. This allowed us to gather data on each of the most googled questions per state. We used data collected from April 29, 2021 – April 29, 2022.

Your Business Questions, Answered

You asked, we answered. Now that you know what questions are being asked in each state, here are the answers to some of the most common:

How to start a business

Finding a location for your business is the first and most important step to take when starting a business.
You can easily determine the best location for a business using ‘The Census Business Builder: Small Business Edition – 4.1’ tool, which will allow you to consider both demographic and economic data.

How to write a business plan

The U.S. Small Business Administration has a website with step-by-step instructions for developing a business plan. This website also contains examples, tips, and tricks for individuals that don’t have experience writing a business plan.

What business to start

If you want to start a business, it’s best to start small.
According to the 2021 Small Business Profile, there are roughly 32 million small businesses in the United States, showing that small businesses are on the rise.

How to get a business license

Business licenses vary state by state. To apply for a business license or permit in your state click here.

What is a business entity?

A business entity is the structure of your business and determines how it operates day to day.

Who we are

Business.CenturyLink.com is an authorized sales agent of CenturyLink. For media inquiries contact media@business.centurylink.com.

Meet Lisa, the winner of our shop locally for a week challenge!

Business.CenturyLink.com has chosen a winner to support small businesses for a week. See who won our $1,000 prize to shop local businesses near them!

Written by Lauren Chapman • July 18, 2022 • 2 min read

When Lisa Kohlbrenner heard about our shop local initiative to support small businesses, she jumped at the chance to apply. As an Assignment Editor at KMGH Denver 7, Colorado, Lisa is active in her community and loves supporting local businesses. Two of her favorites are Atomic Cowboy and Fat Sully’s, which are both popular, and super-tasty, food spots in Denver.

Supporting small businesses has many benefits, and there are a couple that resonate with Lisa specifically. She loves shopping locally because it helps reduce her environmental impact and keeps dollars in the local economy. That’s why we rewarded Lisa with $1,000 to support businesses in her local community for a week.

Lisa’s Experience Supporting Small Businesses Near Her

For Lisa, shopping locally was fun, but more difficult than she thought it’d be. The hardest part was picking the right places to spend her money, since she is a saver at heart. Luckily, she was able to break from the norm and support some amazing places!

To start her journey she stopped at Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters in Westminster and got several types of coffee to brew at home as well as a delicious cold brew to try on the spot. Throughout the week Lisa visited several other local businesses, including Rebelry Boutique in Arvada where she grabbed some cute new outfits, Early Bird in Westminster for brunch, and Tattered Cover Book Store for stationary and a special deck of playing cards. She even tapped into the holiday spirit and purchased some penguin ornaments from St. Nicks in Littleton and Halloween masks and costume accessories at FUN Services in Westminster.

Lisa had this to say when summing up her experience: “Although my son and I didn’t buy something everywhere we went, I learned it’s hard to budget what to spend your money on when there are so many great options to choose from. Through this process I met great shop employees, discovered places and products that I didn’t know existed, and found new restaurants to frequent. There were a few shops we wanted to visit, but didn’t get the chance to due to store hours. Needless to say this was a wonderful experience and we will continue to explore local businesses and all they have to offer!”

How Many MBPS Do I Need for a Small Business

See how CenturyLink Business Internet solutions can take your small business internet to the next level.

Written by Lauren Chapman • July 15, 2022 • 2 min read

From emails to reporting to virtual meetings, a strong internet connection is important for daily business operations. Many small business owners find selecting the right internet speed for their business to be a complicated task. However, CenturyLink simplifies the process by making recommendations based on the unique connection requirements of your business, which makes finding an internet plan that works easier than ever.

Let’s walk through how CenturyLink can help you identify what you need for your small business internet.

Test your internet speed

If you currently have a small business internet connection and are considering changing your high speed internet service, start your search by taking an internet speed test. Knowing what you’re working with now will help you decide what you want to improve down the line.

Picking an office internet speed

Your network connection and how fast you can work largely depend on the speed and bandwidth in your internet package.

Getting high speed internet for your small business starts with evaluating what you use the internet for on a daily basis. Common business uses include:

Video conference calls
Cloud based software
Downloads and uploads
Virtual communication (instant messaging, emails, etc.)

Once you identify your common internet uses, you will then need to account for the amount of people that will have access to your network at any given time. For example, if you are a small startup with up to 10 employees, 100 Mbps internet would be an adequate internet speed whereas a business with more than 10 employees would likely need a higher speed.

Business Internet Options

You’ve identified what your daily internet needs are and who will need access. Now comes the fun part: exploring your options. There are two common choices for those looking for a fast and reliable business internet connection; those options are cable and fiber internet.

Cable internet uses coaxial cables to transfer data electronically. While cable is the more traditional option, it is more susceptible to weather and electromagnetic interference.

A fiber internet connection, on the other hand, uses small, flexible strands of glass to transmit the information at light speed, which means minimal interference for users. A fiber-optic cable also carries more data than a bundle of copper cables of the same size.

CenturyLink supports your small business

Choosing the right plan for your business is easy with CenturyLink Business. To learn more about how we can assist you, learn more about CenturyLink business internet.

Residential vs. business internet features

What is a good internet speed for business?

IP address

Bandwidth

Customer service

Making the switch

Can I use residential internet for business?

What is considered business internet?

Do I need high-speed internet to work from home?

What internet do offices use?

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The Top 10 Startups With The Most Initial Funding

Meet The 10 Startups With The Most Initial Funding

1. OneTrust

2. Neuralink

3. Nuro

4. Daily Harvest

5. Boom Supersonic

6. Better

7. Samsara

8. Ramp

9. Drift

10. Attentive

Methodology

Who we are

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3 common reasons to reboot your router

Your router is overheating

There’s a conflict with your IP address

Your modem and router aren’t communicating

Reboot your Router

FAQ

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What is fiber internet for business?

4 Benefits of Fiber Internet

Do more without compromising on speed.

Match your upload and download speeds.

Increase your connection reliability.

Improve your VoIP connections.

How CenturyLink Small Business can support you

Do I need fiber internet?

How fast is fiber-optic internet?

Is fiber internet better than a cable connection?

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Methodology

Explore the full data

Interesting findings

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Why should I test my internet speed?

What does an internet speed test show?

What is the ideal internet speed for a small business?

Does CenturyLink offer an internet speed test?

How CenturyLink Business can support

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