What should a small business look for in a broadband deal?

Business and home broadband often run over the same lines. The difference is mostly in the service around the connection: how fast faults are fixed, which support you get, and which features are included.

Business packages commonly include priority repair commitments, dedicated support lines, static IP addresses and, on some deals, minimum speed guarantees. Home packages focus on price and are designed around household use.

Many sole traders and freelancers working from home use residential broadband without any problem. Check your provider's terms, as some home contracts restrict commercial use, and think about what an outage would cost you.

A business package is more likely to make sense if:

• You trade from business premises rather than from home
• Card payments, bookings or phone lines depend on the connection
• You need a static IP for remote access, a VPN, CCTV or hosting a server
• Several staff rely on the connection at the same time
• A day without internet would cost you more than the price difference

Compare packages on the features that affect your business, not just the price and headline speed:

• Repair commitments — how quickly the provider promises to fix a fault, and whether that includes weekends
• Speed guarantees — whether a minimum speed is guaranteed, and what happens if it isn't met
• Static IP addresses — whether one is included or costs extra
• Backup connections — some packages include a 4G or 5G backup if the main line fails
• Contract length and early exit charges — business contracts can run longer than home ones
• Whether prices are quoted including or excluding VAT
• Installation and equipment costs, and who owns the router

Business customers don't always get the same protections as households. Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme covers residential customers, so check what a business contract offers instead if a fault isn't fixed on time.

Some Ofcom rules do also cover very small businesses and sole traders, such as receiving a contract summary before you sign. Read the contract terms carefully, particularly the minimum term, how prices can change and the notice needed to leave.

The UK's traditional copper telephone network is being phased out and replaced by digital phone lines that run over broadband. If your business still uses an analogue phone line, or equipment connected to one, such as alarms, card machines or lift lines, check with your provider and the equipment supplier that it will keep working after the switch.