Businesses today use more server bandwidth than ever before. With file sizes getting larger and the internet getting faster, this trend isn’t likely to slow down anytime soon.
You’ve probably seen companies offer unlimited bandwidth. While it is common for web hosting and VPS hosting providers to offer metered network bandwidth, unmetered bandwidth is an increasingly common feature of modern dedicated server hosting plans.
Unmetered bandwidth allows users to scale up their online operations without worrying about exceeding bandwidth capacity.
Why Unlimited Bandwidth Doesn’t Exist,
We’ve all seen ads for consumer-level internet and cellphone plans offering “unlimited” bandwidth. But the reality is, once you look at the fine print, you’ll see that even a seemingly unlimited plan has limits.
The internet is growing, but unlimited bandwidth still doesn’t exist. Just because retail plans offer “unlimited” data doesn’t mean it’s really unlimited.
A dedicated server hosting company provides bandwidth between its own servers, the internet, and your company. But to understand why unlimited bandwidth doesn’t exist, we need to talk about what bandwidth is, exactly.
What is Bandwidth?
Bandwidth is the term used to describe how much traffic a specific network connection can handle.
For example, a server hosting company needs to connect to the internet to transmit information between your business and its servers.
The hosts’ internet connection is limited by how much data can be transmitted per second through the network connection. For example, the connection may be 100Mbps or 1Gbps.
Now, everyone using that server connection shares that 100Mbps. That 100MBps is also the total bandwidth. If you buy 100Mbps, you’re guaranteeing yourself one-tenth of the line’s total 1Gbps connection.
A 100Mbps, being utilized 24×7, can transmit 33TB of data in a month. A 1Gbps connection would be capable of 330TB in a month.
Essentially, unlimited bandwidth doesn’t exist because of network limitations. There’s always a ceiling when more than one business shares an internet connection.
Any company claiming to provide unlimited bandwidth is banking on the fact that every user isn’t going to exhaust the network limitations. If your business tries to use a lot of data, you may be stuck with a shutdown notice.
Metered Bandwidth
At Zumiv, most of our metered bandwidth servers come with a 1Gbps port and metered bandwidth options ranging from 20TB to 100TB a month.
What this means is that your server will be capable of transferring information at a speed of 1Gbps until you reach your bandwidth limit of 20TB to 100TB, depending on your metered package.
Need faster port speed? No problem, we have 10Gbps and even 10x2Gbps dedicated server options as well. Schedule a free consultation with us today. We’ll help you get exactly what you need for your business or next project.
Unlimited Bandwidth
The first thing you need to know about unlimited bandwidth is related to speed. You don’t actually receive “unlimited” bandwidth because your bandwidth is dictated by the speed of your internet connection.
Consequently, the speed you can achieve depends on the plan you choose. In some scenarios, you may also see “unmetered bandwidth” or “unmetered dedicated server” being referred to as “unlimited bandwidth.” What this means is there is no limitation on bandwidth usage.
However, companies aren’t forthcoming with this information. The ‘unlimited’ portion of the transfer acts as a limit. Most “unlimited” plans are metered plans with far larger limits on overall data transmission.
The limit of your unlimited package is closer to 500Gbps if your metered connection is 100Gbps. In most cases, businesses need to be more forthcoming with this information. Instead, they make the risky assumption that you won’t need 500 GB of storage. Therefore, before committing to an unlimited bandwidth package, it is essential to read the fine print. The actual data limit is probably located there.
Unmetered Bandwidth
With our 10Gbps unmetered dedicated servers, you can choose 2x10Gbps port speeds and will not be hampered by bandwidth limits. This means you pay one monthly price for unlimited data transfer in and out at a speed of either 10Gbps or 2x10Gbps, depending on your package.
You may also see unmetered bandwidth being referred to as “unlimited bandwidth.” With unmetered servers, you are free to use as much bandwidth as the purchased server port and hardware can handle.
What Are My Options?
While unlimited bandwidth doesn’t exist, businesses do need to run smoothly to stay ahead of the competition and cater to clients. This means running at least 99.9% network uptime at all times.
Running over your bandwidth allotment can bring your day-to-day operations to a halt. No bandwidth means no internet connection.
This is why every business should figure out just how much bandwidth they really need per month. Are you buying too much or too little?
Luckily, bandwidth and server providers now allow for more and more bandwidth options.
How Much Bandwidth is Enough?
The answer to this question comes down to your business’ everyday needs. It’s impossible to tell how much bandwidth you currently use without looking at your data.
Additionally, it’s impossible to tell how much and how fast your business will grow. Even with projection sheets, reading the future isn’t possible.
So, it’s always recommended to buy more bandwidth than you need. As we mentioned before, it’s better to scale into your bandwidth allotment than to exceed it.
When it comes to specific bandwidth usage, the amount that you will need depends on the size of your company, what’s on your servers, and how often you’re backing up that data. Our sales team can help you choose a bandwidth plan that’s right for you.
How Do I Choose the Best Unlimited Bandwidth VPS Hosting?
When choosing unlimited bandwidth VPS hosting, you may want to consider some key factors to ensure a positive hosting experience.
First, prioritize reliability and scalability. Having a hosting provider with a strong track record for uptime, like Zumiv, is important. We ensure at least 99.9% uptime, as downtime can negatively affect your online presence and business operations. As your website or application grows, having the ability to easily upgrade resources (like CPU, RAM, and storage) without disruptions is crucial.
Next, validate the provider’s claim of unlimited bandwidth. Ensure there are no hidden restrictions or limitations on data transfer.
Performance and speed are essential for user experience and SEO. VPS hosting should offer high-speed SSD storage and robust hardware infrastructure for efficient data processing.
Consider the proximity of the provider’s data centers to your target audience. The closer the data center, the lower the latency and faster the website response.
Customer support is invaluable. Look for a provider that offers 24/7 support through various channels, such as live chat, email, and phone, to assist with any technical issues.
Security features should be robust. Ensure the provider offers measures like firewalls, DDoS protection, regular backups, and SSL certificates to protect your data and user privacy.
User-friendly control panels make server and website management more convenient. They allow you to manage domains easily, set up email, and configure databases.
Backups and disaster recovery are essential. Ensure the provider offers automated backup solutions and a clear plan for recovering data in emergencies.
Carefully examine the pricing structure for hidden fees. Take advantage of any free trial periods or money-back guarantees to test the service.
Read user reviews to learn from others’ experiences with the hosting provider.
Go through the legal and service agreements to ensure they align with your requirements and expectations. Understanding these agreements is essential before committing to a hosting provider.
