John Peters, IT and Network Consultant, LLC

When connecting to the internet, cable internet service providers (ISPs) can sell you bundled services and rent equipment. However if you have the configuration expertise or you can access it at a reasonable price, it may be more cost effective to purchase your own on-premise equipment and only the internet services you need. The question of whether or not to rent equipment comes down to what you need to accomplish, how easy is it to maintain, and which option is the most cost effective in the long run?

When shopping around for ISP services, my preference would be to purchase only what you need. Purchasing bundled services may sound better up front but when you weigh the long term costs, that may not be the best option. If you have no use for a landline, why get one included with your service. If you do not plan to use cable TV services, why purchase them. And finally, do you really need cable company furnished WiFi

Cable company WiFi is good if you only need one access point. If you need multiple access points to have adequate coverage for your business, it may be more cost effective to purchase commercial grade Wireless Access Points (WAPs) that have at a minimum a virtual controller. This makes the set up and deployment fairly simple and gives your employees the ability to move around your business premises without having to change WiFi networks going from office to office or building to building. Most virtual controllers also give you the ability to set up individual security settings for your employees making it much harder for outside users to breach your business network. I recommend refraining from buying inexpensive home WAPs because they are not designed for deployment in business networks.

For the cost of several years worth of equipment rental, you can shop around and buy a cable modem and commercial grade network equipment that will potentially be in-service for more than 10 years. This approach gives you the flexibility to upgrade systems on an ongoing basis without having to renegotiate a new purchase and sales agreement with you ISP every time you upgrade. It also gives you more flexibility to change ISP’s if you can get better services from another vendor.