Sarah is part of HighSpeedInternet.com‘s business editorial team. All reviews are created using provider-sourced data and verified by industry-trained researchers to ensure accuracy.
Any business owner with multiple locations understands the headache of juggling dozens of provider contracts. Managing your vendors can be especially frustrating when an internet service provider (ISP) covers one of your locations but not the other. Various accounts, multiple bills, and different types of internet service can lead to vendor sprawl for businesses managing more than one location.
In today’s business age, there are modern internet solutions for multi-location businesses that simplify and centralize internet access, connection types, and vendor management into one platform. These internet aggregators help manage internet access across all your business locations. With one contract and one bill, you reduce vendor sprawl and simplify account management.
Want to learn more? This guide will walk you through all the details of internet aggregation and how it can serve as the internet solution for your multi-location business.
In this guide:
Simplifying multi-location internet | Benefits | Providers list | Aggregation vs. ISP plans | When consolidating makes sense | Is it worth the cost? | Get started
In this guide:
How internet aggregation simplifies multi-location internet
Internet consolidators tap into connections from multiple ISPs, mobile networks, satellite connections, and other internet services, delivering a level of service that you can’t get with just one ISP.
If your business locations span across multiple cities or states, internet aggregation can ease the stress of setting up and maintaining internet service for each.
Connection types across locations
As your business expands to multiple locations, you’ll likely encounter different connection types across each location. For example, your existing city locations may have fiber, while a new site may only have access to cable internet.
Multi-location connectivity solutions navigate the different accounts, prices, and connection types to address the needs and capacity at each of your business locations.
Simplified vendor management
Across the United States, there are many local, regional, and national internet service providers, but coverage depends entirely on local availability. Most ISPs cover a certain city, state, or region, with some larger companies offering more widespread service.
As your business expands into new regions, it’s common to open a new location served by a different ISP than your existing sites. Internet aggregation services handle setting up connections with your best-fit provider at each location, then combining all those accounts into one service-level agreement (SLA). Many also offer dashboards to track spending and internet activity, which can help identify locations where you need to cut back or add service.
One thing to note is that internet aggregation providers charge a fee for their services. However, for business owners and managers encountering vendor sprawl and complicated billing, that cost can be worth it.
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Benefits of internet aggregation
Centralizing your business’s internet when you operate multiple locations can help simplify billing management and reduce vendor sprawl. Here are the main benefits of internet aggregation and why it’s one of the most effective internet solutions for multi-location businesses:
- Consolidate vendors: Streamline all your contracts with one account that covers all locations.
- One point of contact: Eliminate multiple contracts and SLAs by working with just one service provider.
- Tailored connectivity: Whether it’s DSL, cable, fiber, or satellite, each location gets the right connection.
- Set up rural offices: For locations that are too remote for local ISPs, a unified connectivity platform offers internet through satellite and cellular connections.
- Centralized insights: Many providers offer centralized dashboards that let you track and manage internet usage, performance, and spending across all your locations from a single platform.
- Align contracts and renewal dates: Reduce surprise rate increases and auto-renewals by consolidating contracts and managing expiration dates across locations.
Options for internet aggregation providers
There are several players in the internet aggregation space, each focused on reducing complexity through simplified billing. These companies are some of the biggest providers:
- NHC
- Comcast Business
- Spectrotel
- CommandLink
- AireSpring
All of these providers specialize in consolidating multiple ISPs under a single contract, simplifying vendor management, and centralizing billing across all your locations. Many even offer additional services such as voice solutions, cloud services, network security, and ongoing account management to support multi-location operations.
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Internet aggregation vs. regional ISPs with multi-location plans
Internet aggregation isn’t the only centralized internet option. National and regional ISPs, including Comcast Business Internet and T-Mobile, also offer multi-location business internet solutions.
These are best suited for businesses operating in only a few locations that are close enough together for the ISP to provide the same or similar level of service across all the sites. That makes it easier to manage and troubleshoot the network connection at each location, since you’re working with the same plans and equipment.
However, these multi-location internet business plans are limited by the size of the ISP’s coverage area and whether that coverage extends to all of your locations, either now or in the future. If you have to expand beyond your ISP’s service zone, an internet consolidator could be a better choice to start with or to switch to once you move beyond your provider’s service area.
Let’s break down the differences between internet aggregation services and multi-location ISPs.
| Internet aggregation | Multi-location ISP plan | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Taps into a variety of connection types and local providers | One ISP covers all locations |
| Main benefit | One bill and provider for locations across multiple regions | One bill and provider for multiple local locations |
| Main downside | Less control over connection type | Limited by which ISPs service your area |
| Who this is best for | Businesses that operate locations in multiple cities, states, or regions | Businesses that have a few locations in the same area |
When internet aggregation makes sense
As you start to expand your business beyond one location, consider a unified connectivity platform. You’ll want to understand your local ISP’s service limitations, if any regional options cover a wider area, and if internet aggregation is a better option for future locations.
Consider the following guidelines based on your operations and growth plans:
- Locations in one city or geographic area: A multi-location ISP plan may be sufficient if a single provider can cover all sites. You’ll also avoid aggregator fees.
- Locations across the same region or state: Either option can work, depending on provider coverage and service consistency across all your locations.
- Locations across multiple regions or states: Internet aggregation is often the best choice, since it can consolidate multiple ISPs under one agreement and help manage vendor sprawl.
- New locations opening frequently: Internet aggregation is once again the better choice, as it can simplify onboarding by standardizing your contracts and setup across all your sites.
Still not sure if internet aggregation or a multi-location ISP plan is right for you? Need help figuring out which service is best for your locations? You can find the internet aggregation providers that service your area by entering your zip code below. For more advice, get connected to a live, local expert on business broadband services by calling +1-833-923-6262.
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Is a multi-location connectivity solution worth the cost?
There are plenty of ways internet aggregation makes it easier to set up and manage internet access for multiple business locations, but is it the right choice for your business?
The value of internet aggregation can be clear for large businesses with hundreds of locations across the U.S., but for smaller and medium-sized businesses, it can depend on many factors.
When internet consolidators can be worth the cost
- You operate multiple locations across different ISP coverage areas.
- You manage separate contracts and bills that create administrative strain.
- You need centralized billing, and reporting would improve cost control.
- You have mission critical applications that require backup connectivity.
- You lack in-house IT resources to manage multiple providers.
- You want to standardize service levels across locations.
- You’re expanding into new regions and want a scalable connectivity strategy.
When internet aggregation might not be worth the cost
- You operate only one or two locations within one ISP’s coverage area.
- Your current provider already offers unified billing and account management.
- You can easily manage administrative oversight internally.
- You would save less through consolidation than you’d pay in aggregator fees.
There is no set number of locations at which your business should switch to an internet consolidator. It comes down to how difficult it is to set up and manage an ISP for each location and when that becomes a pain point. That said, once you need to source more than one internet provider to get your locations online, or have more than 10 locations with the same provider, it might be time.
How to get started with the right multi-location internet solution
Now that you’re aware of how internet aggregation services help your business, how do you pick the right provider? Consulting with a live expert is a good place to start.
HighSpeedInternet.com has partnered with Clearlink Consulting to help businesses of any size get advice on internet aggregation services and determine which is right for their needs, for free.
Clearlink Consulting is an independent technology consulting firm, not a service provider. Get connected to local, expert advisors who will listen to your needs and match you with the right unified connectivity platform.
Get free, expert advice about your business connectivity options by calling +1-833-923-6262.
Definitions
- Unified communications as a service (UCaaS): A service that combines phone, messaging, video conferencing, and file sharing.
- Vendor sprawl: The buildup of many providers, creating contract complexity that leads to inefficiencies and added costs.