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A great cloud service needs a great internet connection [guest post]

Following on from our team’s analysis of cloud migration costs, let’s explore how the telecommunications landscape continues to evolve, making reliable cloud services more accessible and affordable for New Zealand businesses than ever before.

“Cloud” services mean your business applications and data are housed in professional data centres, accessed via the internet. Whether it’s public cloud services from major providers or hybrid cloud solutions, the foundation of success remains the same: highly reliable internet connectivity.

Today’s businesses rely on cloud services for virtually everything:

• Voice communications (Microsoft Teams Phone, cloud PBX systems)
• Financial management (Xero, MYOB)
• Productivity suites (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace)
• Collaboration platforms (Slack, Zoom, SharePoint)
• Practice management systems (Legal, health, and CRM platforms)
• Backup and disaster recovery solutions

Any disruption to internet connectivity can bring business operations to a standstill, making redundant connections essential rather than optional.

The excellent news is that implementing resilient, self-recovering internet solutions has become both more sophisticated and cost-effective. Modern businesses can deploy multiple connection types that seamlessly failover within seconds if the primary connection fails.

New Zealand’s telecommunications infrastructure has matured significantly since the original UFB rollout. We now have a diverse ecosystem of fibre providers, improved 5G networks, and Starlink satellite services providing multiple pathway options.

Current connectivity advantages:

• Fibre services now offer symmetrical speeds up to 8Gbps for business users
• 5G networks provide reliable backup with speeds often exceeding 200Mbps
• Satellite services like Starlink offer genuine redundancy via completely separate infrastructure
• SD-WAN technology intelligently manages multiple connections for optimal performance
• Pricing has continued to decrease while speeds and reliability have dramatically improved

Considerations for 2026:

• SLA improvements vary significantly between providers – choose carefully
• Installation timeframes have generally improved but can still vary by location
• Power resilience at your premises becomes critical when internet connectivity is business-critical
• Security considerations are paramount with increased reliance on internet-based services

Today’s market conditions allow businesses to implement enterprise-grade redundant connectivity solutions for approximately $600-$800 per month, depending on location and speed requirements. This typically includes primary fibre service, secondary connection (5G or alternative fibre path), and intelligent routing equipment that provides automatic failover within seconds.

This investment delivers uptime levels exceeding 99.9% and eliminates internet connectivity as a single point of failure for cloud-dependent businesses.

Recent Statistics New Zealand data shows that business reliance on cloud services continues to accelerate, making robust internet infrastructure a competitive necessity rather than a nice-to-have.

For law firms, healthcare organisations, and government agencies handling sensitive data, the combination of reliable connectivity and proper security measures ensures that cloud adoption enhances rather than compromises operational resilience.

If you’re evaluating cloud services or reviewing your current setup, assessing your internet connectivity should be the foundation of your planning process. Contact our team to discuss how the right connectivity strategy can support your cloud initiatives and business continuity requirements.

Simon Falconer
Director, Resolve Technology
When he’s not finding a reason to buy the latest gadget, Simon is probably setting it up, breaking it, and fixing it again — all before breakfast.