When it comes to choosing an Internet Service Provider (ISP) for your business, two names often come up: AT&T Business and Lumen Technologies. Both companies offer a range of services designed to meet the needs of modern enterprises.
AT&T Business is known for its extensive network and reliable service, making it a popular choice for many organizations. On the other hand, Lumen Technologies, formerly known as CenturyLink, has been making waves with its innovative solutions and competitive pricing.
In this article, we'll compare AT&T Business and Lumen Technologies to help you determine which ISP is the best fit for your business needs.
Overview of AT&T Business
AT&T Business has been a cornerstone in the telecommunications industry for over 140 years, having been founded in 1885. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, the company employs around 150,000 people and holds the 32nd spot on the Fortune 500 list.
Operating in 46 countries, AT&T Business is known for its innovative solutions like the AT&T Guarantee and AT&T Dynamic Defense™. These unique aspects set them apart, ensuring reliable connectivity and robust cybersecurity for businesses worldwide.
Overview of Lumen Technologies
Lumen Technologies, founded in 1930, has been in business for 94 years. Headquartered in Monroe, Louisiana, the company employs around 28,000 people and holds the 292nd spot on the Fortune 500 list.
Operating in 60 countries, Lumen Technologies is known for its innovative solutions like AI-ready infrastructure and Private Connectivity Fabric (PCF). These unique aspects ensure that businesses have access to flexible, digital networks tailored to their needs.
ISP Products
DIA
AT&T Business offers its Dedicated Internet (ADI) service with a wide range of speeds, from 10 Mbps to a staggering bonded 100 Gbps up to 1 Tbps. This flexibility makes it suitable for businesses of all sizes. With an uptime SLA of 99.95% and no utilization caps, AT&T ensures reliable and consistent performance. Additionally, the extensive fiber route miles of 1,100,000 provide robust coverage and connectivity options.
Lumen Technologies' Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) also provides a variety of speeds, ranging from 10 Mbps to 100 Gbps. While it doesn't offer the same upper limit as AT&T, its uptime SLA of 99.99% is slightly higher, promising even greater reliability. Lumen's fiber network spans 263,000 miles, which, although smaller than AT&T's, still offers substantial coverage. Both providers include a comprehensive suite of add-on services like static IP addresses, BGP routing, and managed security, ensuring businesses can tailor their internet solutions to their specific needs.
Wireless
AT&T Business offers a comprehensive wireless solution with its Internet Air - Standard and Internet Air - Premium plans. These services cover the US, parts of Canada, and parts of Mexico, providing robust 5G and LTE connectivity. The company is transitioning its fixed wireless services to 5G, moving away from the older Line of Sight (LOS) technology. With multiple plans available, businesses can choose the option that best fits their needs, all backed by a high-level SLA.
Lumen Technologies, on the other hand, leverages its relationships with major 4G LTE and 5G providers like T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T to offer its Wireless WAN service, also known as Enterprise Wireless Access Service (EWAS). This service is available exclusively in the United States and serves as a primary or backup access option. Unlike AT&T, Lumen does not publicly list its wireless broadband plans, requiring customers to engage directly with a sales representative for details. Additionally, Lumen does not provide a high-level SLA for its wireless services.
Security
AT&T Business offers a robust suite of security products designed to protect businesses from a wide range of cyber threats. AT&T Dynamic Defense proactively blocks 97% of cyber threats, providing a high level of protection. AT&T Active Armor offers 24/7 proactive internet security, included with AT&T Business Fiber®, ensuring that malicious threats are blocked before they reach your devices. Additionally, the Secure Service Active Edge maintains network security with secure remote access, extending protection right to the edge of your network.
Lumen Technologies also provides comprehensive cybersecurity solutions tailored to various business needs. Their Adaptive Network Security is a cloud-based platform that streamlines threat management for hybrid environments, powered by Black Lotus Labs®. DDoS Hyper® and DDoS Mitigation offer powerful protection against single and multi-vector attacks, ensuring critical web assets are safeguarded. Lumen's Virtual SOC and Managed SIEM services provide 24/7 monitoring and incident handling, relieving the burden from in-house security teams and ensuring quick response to cyber threats.
Broadband
AT&T Business offers a robust broadband internet service under the name AT&T Business Fiber. This service provides symmetrical speeds ranging from 300 Mbps to a staggering 5 GIG, ensuring that businesses of all sizes can find a plan that meets their needs. With fiber transport and unlimited utilization caps, AT&T Business Fiber delivers reliable and high-speed internet without the worry of data limits.
In contrast, Lumen Technologies no longer offers a broadband service, making AT&T Business the clear choice for companies seeking high-speed internet solutions. With no available speeds, uptime SLA, or transport type listed for Lumen, businesses looking for broadband services will find AT&T's offerings far more comprehensive and reliable.
Ethernet
AT&T Business offers its Ethernet product under the name AT&T Business Fiber, providing symmetrical speeds ranging from 300 Mbps to 5 GIG. This service is delivered over a fiber transport network, ensuring high-speed and reliable internet with unlimited utilization caps. However, specific details about the uptime SLA for AT&T Business Fiber are not readily available, which might be a consideration for businesses requiring guaranteed uptime.
Lumen Technologies, on the other hand, provides a variety of Ethernet services, including E-Line Services, E-LAN Services, Ethernet On-Demand, and Metro Optical Ethernet. These services offer scalable bandwidths from 2 Mbps to 30 Gbps, catering to diverse business needs. Lumen's Ethernet solutions are designed for flexibility, supporting point-to-point, multipoint-to-multipoint, and on-demand connections, making them suitable for linking corporate headquarters, data centers, and cloud providers. Additionally, Lumen's Metro Optical Ethernet is tailored for reliable LAN-to-LAN connectivity within metropolitan areas, supporting various business applications.
POTS Replacement
AT&T Business offers the AT&T Phone for Business – Advanced, a solution designed to convert analog phone and specialty data lines to the cloud. This service uses existing public internet connectivity, either wireless or wireline, and does not require AT&T internet. It includes optional wireless (LTE) failover and a 24-hour internal battery backup, ensuring reliability. The service supports various specialty lines, including security and fire alarms, elevators, and faxes, and provides unlimited domestic local and long-distance calling.
Lumen Technologies provides the Lumen® Cloud Communications Specialty Lines, a fully managed digital solution for transitioning from traditional POTS lines. This service operates over third-party internet connections and includes backup cellular connectivity using LTE or 5G networks. It offers options for either a 12-hour or 24-hour battery pack and supports critical safety systems like alarms and elevators. Lumen's service also meets NFPA 72 standards and is available in select international markets, providing a broader reach compared to AT&T's offering.
Other Key Features
Geographic Coverage
AT&T Business serves 46 countries, offering reliable internet, WAN, voice, and colocation services. Their extensive coverage ensures businesses stay connected globally with ease and efficiency.
Lumen Technologies serves 60 countries, providing reliable internet, WAN, voice, and colocation services. Their wide coverage ensures businesses stay connected and efficient across the globe.
SLA
AT&T Business offers an uptime SLA of 99.95%, meaning your internet will be up and running almost all the time. This is crucial for businesses that need constant connectivity.
Lumen Technologies provides a slightly higher uptime SLA of 99.99%. This small difference can be important for companies where even a few minutes of downtime can cause issues.
In practical terms, these uptime guarantees mean fewer interruptions and more reliable service, helping businesses stay productive and efficient.
Transport Types Available
AT&T Business offers speeds from 10 Mbps to 1 Tbps, making it great for everything from streaming to large business operations. Their fiber network spans 1,100,000 miles, ensuring strong and reliable connections.
Lumen Technologies provides speeds from 10 Mbps to 100 Gbps, suitable for gaming and business needs. Their fiber network covers 263,000 miles, offering solid performance.
Both companies use fiber transport, but AT&T's larger network may offer more extensive coverage and reliability for diverse customer needs.
Customer Support
AT&T Business offers 24/7 customer support, ensuring help is always available when you need it. Their support team is known for being responsive and helpful.
Lumen Technologies also provides 24/7 customer support. They focus on quick resolutions and have a reputation for being reliable and efficient.
Both companies aim to keep their customers happy, but AT&T's larger support team might offer a slight edge in availability and response times.
Final Verdict
AT&T Business excels with its extensive network coverage, higher speed options, and robust security features, making it ideal for large enterprises needing reliable, high-speed internet and comprehensive cybersecurity.
Lumen Technologies, with its slightly higher uptime SLA and flexible Ethernet services, is well-suited for businesses that prioritize reliability and need scalable, on-demand connectivity solutions.
Small to medium-sized businesses might find Lumen's competitive pricing and tailored solutions more appealing, while larger corporations may benefit from AT&T's expansive network and advanced security offerings.
Ultimately, the choice depends on your specific business needs, whether it's extensive coverage and speed or flexible, reliable connectivity.
Get Started with the Right ISP Today
Ultimately, the choice between AT&T Business and Lumen Technologies depends on your specific business needs, whether it's extensive coverage and speed or flexible, reliable connectivity. Evaluate your requirements carefully to determine which ISP best suits your organization.
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