When you're running a business, the last thing you want to do is worry about where your utilities are coming from, but while it's pretty simple to choose a gas or electricity supplier as the service they provide is generally going to be very similar, choosing a broadband provider can be a difficult decision, especially if you're not exactly sure about the different technology or how it might affect your business in the long term.

It's made worse by the fact getting the wrong business broadband can be an expensive mistake - especially when some business broadband contracts can last as long as three years!

Getting the best business broadband isn't actually to difficult though, no matter how big or small your company might be. Of course, there's several things that are different between a typical residential connection and a business broadband package. For example, businesses need to worry much more about support, security and restrictions.

Support means making sure that your business isn't left in the dark if anything happens to your internet connection. At home, a broken line or problem at the exchange is normally nothing more than annoying, but in your business it could mean the difference between sealing a deal with a client and missing out to a competitor. Most business packages offer some level of extra support, but always try to opt one that has a backup line - even if its just dialup support, so you'll never have to be completely left without net support in case of a problem.

Making sure your provider also offers a good security package can also save your company much time and money in lost files and stolen information. Hackers are far more likely to target business computers than home users, so making sure your connection has at least basic security measures implemented is a must. Most business packages come with the ability to select a level of security that suits your company, but don't forget that you can also invest in security measures outside of your internet connection, such as anti virus and business security suites.

Restrictions can also be a big problem for business that home users don't usually have to worry about. You may need to be able to use different services such as email servers, FTP and web servers from your connection. Usually it's pretty easy to set up ports for these sorts of services, but you do need to make sure that your business has access to a static IP - a single address for your business that doesn't change, unlike normal residential IPs.

Of course, while all of these features are very important, price is a big factor too, especially when you're setting up a new business and not wanting to spend more than you need. Comparing broadband online is normally the best way to find the best prices - but don't forget that the cheapest packages aren't always better. Businesses that expect to grow quickly should look at flexible contracts that can adjust as their needs change.