Unlocking ‘Enterprise’ service for Australian businesses

In the past, when a business thought about their telecommunications needs, they usually needed a phone system, so the first question we would ask was ‘how many users do you have?’ 

The ‘number of staff’ answer determined how we designed and provisioned their data network services and the type and size of Internet connection needed, especially as the transition to VoIP took prevalence.

But the way businesses rely on data connectivity and use the Internet has changed significantly over the last two decades. This change has accelerated dramatically over the last 12 months, with one of the trends for business being a massive acceleration of Cloud usage.

As businesses grapple with becoming digital-first and operating in a mix of on-premises and remote locations, how they leverage data and connectivity has become much more relevant than the number of employees they have.

Lifting the digital capability of Australian businesses 

The last 12 months have been an important time for our business, like many digital businesses. 

Record numbers of homes and businesses connected to the nbn? network as people realised connectivity was absolutely critical to working and schooling from home. 

Daytime household network usage shot up. Downloads increased. Uploads increased significantly. 

In the past few months, network usage has reached a more steady state. As businesses come to terms with the “new normal” they’re looking at how to leverage the productivity and collaboration benefits of technology including Cloud-based applications and Software-As-A-Service (SAAS).

The network is a critical enabler of all the magic these applications and services offer.

Without the right network access, a business will not get to experience and realise all of the benefits.

That’s why we launched nbn? Business Fibre Initiative: to make business nbn? Enterprise Ethernet, and the enhanced connectivity it provides, more accessible to more Australian businesses. 

By laying the network foundation to access enterprise grade services, we are lifting the digital capability of Australian businesses.

Layering service onto Australia’s digital backbone

Along with the nbn? Business Fibre Initiative, a wide range of enterprise grade service options are available to service providers to complement the network across much of Australia for their business customers.

This is important to understand because a happy marriage between both network and service is where you start to see the technology positively impact and transform business operations. 

I’m amazed by the business customers I meet who tell me ‘the nbn? network’ doesn’t meet their needs. But as soon as I ask what service they are using, they say “I don’t know.” 

They’re surprised to discover there are different types of nbn? wholesale solutions, with different speeds and service levels, that are now accessible for most businesses across Australia. 

Important services for business like higher upload speeds, priority network installation, dedicated case management and service level commitments are all available for service providers to package for businesses on plans powered by business nbn?. 

The challenge is that most customers are unaware of this. As a consequence, they end up not fully leveraging the benefits of the nbn? network as they may end up on a plan that doesn’t meet all their needs.

We've got a lot of work to do to educate the market on this and the conversation needs to start with:

a) nbn working closely with retail internet providers to understand customer needs; and

b) customers doing their research. 

That means unpacking not only how a business is using the Internet now, but how they want to use it in the future.

Choosing the right solution

A great example of that is ADW Johnson partnering with TasmaNet. 

In taking the time to get to know the business, and the risk that Internet downtime represented for it, TasmaNet learned that ADW Johnson’s 100 employees collaborated using sophisticated, data-heavy 3D modelling tools, video calling and large email transfers day-to-day, often working concurrently on the same design files.

Thanks to a thorough understanding of ADW Johnson’s business goals and connectivity needs, TasmaNet knew they would need premium network performance, and access to wholesale data on the nbn? network that was enterprise grade.

They selected nbn? Enterprise Ethernet, with a 4G backup on a separate network as a failsafe to enable ADW Johnson to have upwards of 80 employees connected concurrently via remote VPN to centralised servers and files.

With less risk to the business in areas of version and quality control and missed deadlines, ADW Johnson is now confident to make commitments to clients as they grow into the future. 

This is a great example of a retail provider working with a business to find a solution tailored to their needs, ensuring they get the most out of the network.

Reframing “Enterprise’’ network solutions 

Through nbn? Business Fibre Initiative we are finding many SMB (Small and Medium Businesses) customers want access to enterprise solutions. 

Often they have highly sophisticated digital needs that are not unlike those of much larger businesses, despite their smaller headcount. 

Again, the key question is how the business wants to use the network. 

The standard home solution that nbn offers is great for your home needs, but it’s not going to meet the requirements of a highly digitised business.

It’s important for businesses to realise they have choice around this.

The market has shifted and more businesses of any size, in more locations, can now access ‘enterprise’ solutions previously out of reach for them. 

The beauty of ‘Everything-as-a-Service’(XaaS) is that it gives businesses fractional ownership of powerful applications and services that allow them to tap into new capabilities and move the dial on their transformation agenda. In a sense, this is true of the network too. 

Increased access to fibre and enterprise grade services means Australian businesses are in the box seat to take advantage of the explosion of cloud applications, new ways of working and opportunities for growth that the digital revolution presents.

If you run an Australian business, it’s worth doing your research to ensure you have the right network and service for your business requirements. 

Do that and you can expect the best support for your technology, your people and your success. The new era of productivity, performance and innovation is yours for the taking.