What is Advantage WiFi and Why It Matters for Small Businesses

Would you rather spend your time growing your business or maintaining its WiFi network?

Managing a WiFi network can be a tricky concept for small business owners. At home, people manage their own networks, so why would you need someone to manage it at your restaurant, photography studio, or health clinic?

The simple answer is that business networks are much more complex than home networks, and business internet requires different maintenance and support.

Let’s explore why managed internet services like Advantage WiFi have become essential for many small businesses.

What is Advantage WiFi ?

A managed WiFi service is when a company hires an external provider to handle specific tasks, often related to technology, that would normally be done in-house. For example, with managed internet service, a provider like Rogers takes care of setting up your newtork with enterprise-grade access points for wall-to-wall WiFi coverage. Advantage WiFi enhances security by providing separate networks for guests and your business, ensuring your business network stays protected.

Businesses often choose managed WiFi services for cost efficiency, remote monitoring capabilities and enhanced security. They may not have staff with the necessary skills, may not need someone full-time for the task, or their skilled team members might be busy with other critical responsibilities, like growing the business.

Managed internet services, like Advantage WiFi means outsourcing everything related to keeping your company’s internet and network operational and secure. It ensures your WiFi is available, running at peak performance, without your team needing to manage it. The provider handles everything—from installation to maintenance and security updates —allowing you to focus on what matters most to your business.

How do I know if managed internet service is right for my company?

Not all small businesses need managed internet service. Companies with only a handful of employees whose work is done largely offline—like, say, a cleaning service—can often manage a small business internet package on their own. 

But other similarly small businesses, like a coffee shop or an accounting office, may find real value in the benefits of managed internet. 

Here are the questions to consider when looking into managed internet for your company

• Do my employees and guests need constant, reliable WiFi access throughout the premises?
• Are there multiple areas of my business that require internet access, such as the kitchen, back office, and front of house in a restaurant?
• Would an internet outage significantly impact my business’s productivity or revenue?
• Does my business handle valuable data that needs protection from malware and cybercriminals?
• Would managing the company’s network require hiring additional staff or diverting time from existing team members?
• Is my business prepared to handle regular network updates, security patches, and troubleshooting?
• Do I need the necessary expertise to keep my network secure and compliant with industry standards?
• Could I benefit from a more proactive approach to preventing network issues rather than just reacting to them?

If you've answered yes to any of these questions, managed internet service is probably worth looking into. You’ll be surprised how cost-efficient these services are and how helpful they can be to running your business smoothly.

What exactly do I get with managed internet service? 

Managed internet services offer cost savings and peace of mind, ensuring you won’t lose sales, productivity, or miss important video calls due to internet issues. 

1. WiFi network installation with wall-to-wall coverage

When looking at a service like Advantage WiFi, Rogers Business would install all necessary hardware—including WiFi 6 access points—to ensure your network is fast, strong and free of dead zones.

2. Remote network monitoring, proactive fixes, and 24/7 technical support

Rogers will automatically apply software updates as needed and roll out new features as they become available. There's no need to create an IT role or keep up with the latest network technology yourself. Our remote monitoring team will instantly know if your network suffers any issues and proactively set to work fixing them. If you need help for any reason at any time, a trained network specialist is just a phone call away.

3. Data security for you and your guests

Patient records, customer data, proprietary assets—these are all lucrative targets for modern cyber criminals targeting small businesses. With Advantage WiFi you'll have the best protection available. Your network devices will always be up to date with the latest software and safeguards, and we can help you set up a separate network and individual logins for clients and customers to ensure your company's data is safe.

4. Virtually no downtime

An internet outage can start costing a business money the second it begins. It can bring, for example, a classroom lesson to a standstill, and it can grind office productivity to a halt. With most of the Advantage WiFi plans, you can receive wireless backup, ensuring minimal disruptions to your business' activity.

I'm interested in learning more about managed WiFi internet service and exploring Advantage WiFi. What now?

Consult with a Rogers business specialist. They'll ask questions about your specific business and can provide additional details in non-technical language as well as pricing information that will help you decide whether a managed internet service is right for your business.