Business Broadband Advice

[bendrush]

Hello All,

New user, but seeking some advice from the Hardware Zone community.

I'm looking into business broadband packages in Singapore and I generally find it extremely confusing relative to consumer packages. The extra cost is also rather interesting when the physical product seems generally inferior to that of consumer/residential services.

I spoke to Singtel and they basically want me to complete a bunch of forms, commit to a 3 year contract, all without making any commitments to me in terms of feasibility and timelines for when they'll complete the necessary work to get my line up and running.

Does anyone have advice on the right route to take for a small business with the following high level items to consider:

- Limited number of concurrent users (probably maximum 3 at any point in time)
- Will be uploading and downloading standard word, excel and image files (sometimes those images files may be quite large but nothing extreme)
- Will be using basic communication tools like Skype or Google Hangout
- Cost is important, so looking for a suitable mix of good performance but without paying through the roof.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Ben

 

[tungsten2]

Have your tried MR (myRepublic) ?

My bike shop friend is using it and have good & stable connections.

You can check out their plans here : https://myrepublic.com.sg/business/

He is using the 100 mbps for small office.

 

[bendrush]

I took a look at them yeah, but its quite expensive at $140 a month. Singtel were offering 60mbps at $99 per month for a 3 year contract. I've found them about as useful as a chocolate tea pot though in terms of explaining the details of the plan and timelines for installation.

 

[tungsten2]

Yes, my friend also nag at the price. Can't do much as business plan is always more expensive. BTW is your business in residential area? Maybe can look at M1.

 

[bendrush]

Nope, unfortunately its very much in a non-residential building so no provider will touch it with a residential package. Looks like no choice but to suck it up with Singtel as their prices are the most reasonable.

Business broadband industry in Singapore really needs a proper shake up. I am appalled at the process and fees compared to standard residential packages which in the main are far superior.

Thanks for the help and input.

 

[ykeen]

try this?

http://corporate.viewqwest.com/products/fibernet.html

 

[bendrush]

Thanks for taking the time to reply. We checked out ViewQuest, but similar pricing to MyRepublic, so we opted for SingTel which was around $40 a month cheaper.

 

[jury_pack]

Pricing for corporate and consumer difference is because of the line penetration and bandwidth share.
60mbps for $99 a bit on the high side. I would believe Singtel can do with $100 for 100mbps. And ask them for 2 year contract, they are not suppose to lock business with 3 years contract. Ask Singtel to assign a business account manager, if he can't give you a good deal, ask another one. Certain account managers in their mind only thinking of commission for their own.

 

[prime]

Anyone got contact for good corporate internet pricing ,please pm me.Thanks

 

[ZrE0_Cha0s]

Anyone got contact for good corporate internet pricing ,please pm me.Thanks

why keep asking ppl to pm u when u should find telcom for those pricing? not everyone in this forum knows the current pricing, unless they themselves are the boss of the company. even staff may not know about their offices unless they themselves find out.

 

[touchme]

Small Retail shop in mall here,
1st year, since 2004 took up $140 vqw adsl plan. (ST was $200 up then)
Subsequently for 5 years, wireless@sg came, use a dd-wrt router to bridge free WiFi to LAN, Free. Progressively slow and unstable. Maybe throttled, then think later banned.

7-8th year on, use 12gb old plan dongle to 3G router shared in LAN. $10- multi-SIM.

9th year on, in came Starbucks near me, and tap my dd-wrt router of them. Free.

10-12th year, mall has it's own free and much faster Wi-Fi, likewise tap and share, FREE.

13th year now, moved to a new mall, no free WiFi anywhere near. So back to hunting for new business fibre plan.

So far, looking at continuing ex-tenant contract at 50% off ($50) , since his early termination penalty is 100% of balance 2 years contract, or M1 $99 with 2 free business lines, save on ST pstn lines +VAS $20 X2 subscriptions.

Complication comes when you need the business lines to handle VISA/NETS machines.

 

[touchme]

why keep asking ppl to pm u when u should find telcom for those pricing? not everyone in this forum knows the current pricing, unless they themselves are the boss of the company. even staff may not know about their offices unless they themselves find out.

nothing wrong about asking, since the sales managers basically can chop will chop or oversell, corporate pricings and offers are not published or announced, so it's good to share around here, to get a feel of their inside offers.

 

[touchme]

Currently ST is having promo up to 18th Dec, 2/4 months free for 2/3 years contract with lowest $99 plan, effectively $88 for 3 years contract. But note that business lines is from $12-18 p/m. Check out i-Phone Net lines for business, iPN-lite, over-fibre and UC mobile plans.

Likely price-matching with M1 for their better and more compassionate customer service, Quite pissed off by ST unnecessary number relocation/ number retention fees. (both one-time+ monthly)

 

[jury_pack]

nothing wrong about asking, since the sales managers basically can chop will chop or oversell, corporate pricings and offers are not published or announced, so it's good to share around here, to get a feel of their inside offers.

Pricing will depend on how much your account manager want to charge you, and how much goodies they want to give you. Some charge slightly higher, but give better hardware and better support. Some give cheaper, but 12 hours service recovery.
You get what you pay.
Cannot based on wholesale price or the cheapest price. Rather it will depend on how much support will you need.

 

[touchme]

Anyone using NETS/Visa/fax successfully on M1 business digital voice lines?

 

[LiteMan]

Just to share, dug up thread.

the current organization that I work with, we could not use fax on digital line, so we had one of our colleagues to bring the fax machine and use it on his spare phone line for a few months.

Fax can't be done on digital line.

As for Nets, we switched to wireless NETS (just need WIFI access)... costs a bit more as compared to wired NETs terminal.

 

[touchme]

Just to share, dug up thread.

the current organization that I work with, we could not use fax on digital line, so we had one of our colleagues to bring the fax machine and use it on his spare phone line for a few months.

Fax can't be done on digital line.

As for Nets, we switched to wireless NETS (just need WIFI access)... costs a bit more as compared to wired NETs terminal.

may I know is that Singtel or M1 biz services?
ST did specifically told me theirs can't, and proposed another digital line type, called i-PhoneNet.

Tried on my home m1 free DV on fibre, can fax and dial visa/nets. M1 told be biz dv is same as home dv, but can't arrange a familiar customer place for me, to test my visa machine for certainty.

You may wanna explore M1 mPOS, no setup fee, considered $5 rental fee, 2.9% transaction rate (quite like NETS), but with $5k p.m. payout limits only. Maybank and CIMB do direct with a $300-$500 setup fee and only 2% MDR.

 

[touchme]

Hi, touchme

Happy New Year 2017!

In my new office, we were on the landlord's digital phone line system but pardon me as I could not find out whom their ISP is.

We were already using NETS for a long time, so anyway we contacted NETS HQ and they gave us a wireless unit for us to use in the new office, although we had to pay slightly higher monthly fee ($12) for this.

I noticed that it is on SingNet 3G.

How much did you have to pay for your M1 mpos?

Further to your non-working Nets on business voice, may I know is that Singtel or M1 biz services?

ST did specifically told me theirs can't, and proposed another digital line type, called i-PhoneNet.

I tried on my home m1 fibre, can fax and dial visa/nets. M1 told be biz dv is same as home dv, but can't arrange a familiar customer place for me, to test and confirm my visa machine for certainty.

You may like to explore m1 mpos, no setup fee, considered $5 rental fee, 2.9% transaction rate (quite like NETS), but with $5k p.m. payout limits only Maybank and CIMB do direct, but with a $300-$500 setup fee, and only 2% MDR.

more impt is the MDR.
What;s your NETS commission and projected NETs sales?

M1 mPOS is only $5.35/month (2-yr contract) using existing postpaid M1 mobile lines. 2.9% MDR but max $5k p/m payout, subject to review.

What I like is the payment acknowledgement SMSes and digital receipts sent to clients and logged in the mPOS phone, and all transaction logged in your wirecard account. No more messing with NETs paper rolls, and statements.

 

[robotechnie]

Hi touchme and the other posters,

This thread has been very useful to aspiring business owners. I'm also appalled by the differences in prices for business plans.

Any updates so far about the business broadband plans? Checked out Singtel as well and its $99 a month which can be steep for an SME.

 

[touchme]

Hi touchme and the other posters,

This thread has been very useful to aspiring business owners. I'm also appalled by the differences in prices for business plans.

Any updates so far about the business broadband plans? Checked out Singtel as well and its $99 a month which can be steep for an SME.

sorry since last discussed, I decided to do without fixed lines/ccard machine/fixed biz broadband. We are a 2-men shop with high-value, low transactions count. Biz is slow and volatile, so do not wanna commit on a $100+/mth broadband/lines, with 100% penalty.

Fixed Line: old lines are at my old location, (cos need to pay $50 relocation fee/line + $8/mth/line for number retention due to different area code, sure creative chops), hopefully untapped. All calls are diverted to our mobiles, which manage shared contacts better than on corded. We are not prolific biz callers, 1 outgoing for 10x incoming calls/enquires.

Ccard machines: We terminate our clumsy/bulky landings and consumables-dependant card machine and rely only on 2x mPOS, $5 each/month, with cash/cheques for corporate arrangements. Funny that customers are quite impressed, seeing a ccard reader in mobile/sign-on-phone, e-slip to email, and no miserable carbon slips for both parties.

Internet: we hotspot our combined 10Gb mobile phone's data plans to shop router, which serves internet to the few computers on LAN. Sufficient for our 20 days work month.
(Note: need to regedit to disable Win10's heavy internet background services.)

In short,, we are happy with our near*- zero $ commitment for our small biz, and I'm afraid I've nothing to share on business bb now.