ICD Business School

Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) connection has multiple advantages over standard business broadband. DIA provides symmetrical bandwidth so that your upload speeds match download speeds, which is important if you’re regularly uploading large files, using cloud applications, VoIP or hosting video conferences.

DIA connection is uncontended, which means the bandwidth is available exclusively to the account. By contrast, standard business broadband is contended and speeds can drop during peak office hours as capacity is being shared with others. DIA also comes with Service Level Agreements (SLAs) guaranteeing uptime (often 99.9% or higher) and specific latency and packet loss thresholds.

Virgin Media Business is a supplier of Dedicated Internet Access from its fibre network and also wireless connection using radio waves. When ICD (International College Dublin) Business School on South Great George’s Street in Dublin 2 decided to install a DIA connection, it was able to leverage the Virgin Media Business fibre already connected to the office premises.

ICD Business School provides high-quality, third-level qualifications in Business and Accounting to EU and non-EU students. The college, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, has around 30 staff and over 500 students.

After consulting with Virgin Media Business, ICD decided on a 500 megabit DIA connection. The existing fibre connection was in place for another user in the same building so Virgin technicians were able to splice the fibre into the ICD office space. “This made it quite simple for us and more cost-efficient for the client as well,” says Virgin Media Business.

DIA circuits can be scaled up or down to meet ever changing business needs. The ICD install used one gigabit Cisco switches which cater for speed of 100 megabits up to one gigabit. Dedicated Internet Access can cater for connection speeds of up to 100 gigabits, though different switches would be required.

ICD Business School also availed of Virgin Media Business’s Enterprise WiFi offering. This involved installing nine ceiling internet access points across the college’s three floors. These access points boost the WiFi signal through the building, so everyone has the same fast internet access.

In addition, Virgin Media Business organised separate Service Set Identifiers (SSIDs) for staff and students. SSID is the technical term for a WiFi network’s name that you see when your laptop or mobile device scans for available networks. SSIDs has individual password protections, and at ICD the staff SSID has admin rights and is also connected to printers that students don’t have access to.

ICD Business School turned to Virgin Media Business for DIA because standard broadband was not satisfactory. The college even tried separate mobile broadband connections for each of the three floors before deciding that DIA was the superior solution.

Virgin Media Business says that companies are increasingly aware of the benefits of having DIA rather than regular business broadband. They advise that the best way to check if Virgin Media Business can connect DIA to your location is to reach out the Enterprise Team.