Downtime is more than an IT nuisance. It’s missed orders, idle staff, and customers who don’t come back. A disciplined checklist helps small business owners and office managers compare business internet options, avoid surprise costs, and cut through jargon before a contract is signed. Whether you’re running a clinic in Tacoma or a café in Ellensburg, the same fundamentals apply. At the end, you’ll find a list of copy-and-paste questions to ask any provider so you can choose with confidence. Next, here’s how to evaluate each area in detail.
Connection type & bandwidth
Start with the access layer. Ultra fiber internet offers low latency and symmetrical bandwidth, which matters if you push files to the cloud, run POS plus video, or host cameras. Inventory your concurrent uses, voice, meetings, payments, backups, guest internet, and ask the internet provider for headroom so seasonal peaks don’t cause slowdowns.
Reliability, uptime
Ask for historical uptime and clear definitions of how incidents are measured, what restoration targets look like, and how you’re notified. Clarify escalation paths (who answers first, who owns fixes) and where to track issues, a public status page, NOC emails, or SMS alerts. The goal is predictability, not perfection.
Internet coverage & hardware
Great circuits fail at the last hop. Request a floorplan-based internet design that specifies access point count and placement, with separate SSIDs for staff, IoT, and guests. Confirm your router and modem/ONT can pass your rated speed with security features on, and add battery backup so a brief power dip doesn’t take the network down.
Security basics (DNS filtering, firewall, guest networks)
Treat network security as a baseline. Look for a stateful or next-gen firewall with automatic updates, DNS filtering to block known threats, WPA3 where supported, and a guest network that’s walled off from POS and admin systems. Minimize public exposure: prefer identity-based, MFA-protected access via vendor portals over opening ports, and review access logs monthly.
Static IP & networking needs
If you rely on remote cameras, VoIP trunks, or vendor portals, confirm whether you actually need a static IP (some services work fine with dynamic DNS or cloud relays). Ask about VLAN support for segmenting POS, staff, and IoT, and confirm QoS policies for voice and video so calls don’t jitter during backups. If any outside party needs access, avoid exposing ports to the open internet, use identity-based access with MFA via the vendor’s cloud, restrict by source IP where possible, and log changes through a simple, documented change-control process.
Redundancy & failover
Assume every link fails eventually. Price a second, diverse path, fiber plus fixed wireless, or fiber plus cable, and configure automatic redundancy and failover in your edge router. Schedule a quarterly failover test so you know it works when you need it.
Support response & local availability
When service blips, response time is the whole ballgame. Ask for first-response targets, mean-time-to-repair, and real hours of live phone/chat support. If you operate across the Pacific Northwest, confirm local customer service and technician coverage in each city, not just a national queue.
Pricing transparency & contract terms
The lowest monthly rate can hide the highest total cost. Request a one-page summary that spells out install fees, equipment charges, promo timelines, early-termination language, and any data caps. Favor providers that commit to no surprise price hikes after 12 months and publish straightforward plans you can compare at a glance.
When to call your ISP
Escalate when a wired speed test across multiple devices sits well below your subscribed rate during normal business hours; when you see persistent packet loss or latency that breaks voice and video; when your modem/ONT shows LOS/Link alarms; or when dropouts survive reboots and basic internet troubleshooting. Payment systems, phones, safety equipment, and door controllers are a “call now” issue, not “wait and see.”
Lightcurve Internet
Lightcurve Internet is built for small businesses that value stability over sizzle. We serve Tacoma and nearby communities—including Lakewood, Chehalis, Centralia, Yelm, Selah, Ellensburg, Eatonville, Graham, and the coastal towns of Grays Harbor County.
Our fiber-first network emphasizes low latency and consistent performance; our plans are clear, with no surprise price hikes at the end of 12 months, and they’re backed by local customer service teams who know the region. Static IP options, managed internet, straightforward plans, and sensible support make it easier to keep work moving and costs predictable.
Ready to pressure-test your setup? Check availability and plans with Lightcurve Internet to match speed, reliability, and support to your workload. Learn more at getlightcurve.com or call (800) 548-0170.
Not technical? Copy-and-paste questions for your ISP
We know running your business is what you’re best at. Here’s a list of techy questions to ask an internet provider that will make sure you have what you need to keep your business running smoothly.
- What connection type will you install at my address (fiber, cable, fixed wireless) and what up/down speeds can you reliably deliver during business hours?
- What was your uptime in my area over the last 12 months, and what are your restoration targets when there’s an outage?
- Will you provide a floorplan-based internet design (how many access points, where they go) with separate networks for staff, POS/admin, IoT, and guests?
- Will the router/ONT you provide pass my full speed with security features on, and is a battery backup included or available?
- What security is included by default (automatic firewall updates, DNS filtering, WPA3), and is guest Wi-Fi isolated from POS/admin systems?
- Do I need a static IP for my use cases (cameras, VoIP, vendor portals)? If yes, what’s the monthly cost? Do you support VLANs and QoS so calls/video stay clear?
- Do you offer automatic failover to a backup connection? If I bring my own secondary line, will you configure failover and help me test it?
- What are your real support hours, typical first-response time, and average time to repair? Is support local to the Pacific Northwest?
- How will you notify me about incidents and resolutions (status page, email, SMS), and can I view historical status?
- Can you summarize all fees on one page: install/equipment, promo period and renewal rate, term length, early-termination, and any data caps or price increases after 12 months?
