In this guide · 8 sections
Short answer
Choose a business plan if you need a static IP, a written SLA with uptime and repair targets, or priority support. Check the restoration time (for example 8 hours in one provider's SLA), service credits, router terms and contract length, and add a 4G or 5G backup line if downtime would stop sales.
Business vs home fibre: what actually differs
In Singapore both run over the same NetLink Trust fibre network to your premises. What you pay extra for on a business plan is mostly service and terms.
| Feature | Typical home plan | Typical business plan |
|---|---|---|
| IP address | Dynamic, changes from time to time | Dynamic or static; static often an add-on or included |
| Service level agreement | Usually none | Written SLA on static plans, sometimes on dynamic |
| Support | Consumer hotline | Business support, often 24/7 on higher plans |
| Invoice | Personal name | Company name and UEN, GST invoice |
| Contract | 24 months common | 24 or 36 months; some no-contract options |
| Use terms | Residential use only | Commercial premises and use |
Check terms carefully on cheaper "Lite" or dynamic business plans. ViewQwest's Fibernet terms, for example, describe its Fibernet Lite service as provided on a best effort basis only, while Fibernet is aimed at businesses running mission-critical, latency-sensitive applications.
Do you need a static IP?
A static IP address stays the same, so other systems can find or trust your office connection. Many small offices do not need one; some cannot work without it.
You likely need a static IP if
- You host a server, NAS or CCTV that must be reached from outside
- A bank, supplier or cloud app allow-lists your office IP
- You run a site-to-site VPN to another office
- Your firewall restricts admin access by IP
You can skip it if
- Everything you use is in the cloud (Microsoft 365, Google, Xero)
- Staff connect remotely through a cloud VPN or zero-trust tool
- No one outside needs to reach anything in the office
Prices and inclusions vary. As of October 2026, StarHub's SME 10Gbps page shows a static IP upgrade with a usual price of S$54.50 a month (free under its promotion), MyRepublic's business internet page lists one free static IP on its plans, and Singtel's Business Fibre Broadband (Static IP) page lists 8 static IP addresses and 24/7 technical support. Check the current offer before signing.
Read the SLA: uptime, repair time and service credits
An SLA is the provider's written promise and what you get back if it misses. The numbers that matter are uptime, mean time to repair and the credit.
- Uptime: MyRepublic's business fibre SLA (effective 12 August 2025) states a monthly network uptime of 99.95%, using commercially reasonable endeavours.
- Repair time: the same SLA targets restoring service within 8 hours of an outage, measured as mean time to repair.
- Service credits: 5% of the monthly charge if uptime falls below target, or 10% if repair takes longer than 8 hours; you can claim only one per month.
- Installation: the SLA targets installation within 14 business days, subject to NetLink Trust coverage, building cabling and approvals.
IMDA's quality of service standards
IMDA sets minimum quality of service standards for retail fixed-line broadband. They apply to providers with more than 10% market share in the residential or business broadband market.
| Indicator | IMDA standard |
|---|---|
| Network availability | More than 99.9% |
| Local network latency (round trip) | 50 ms or less |
| International network latency (round trip) | 300 ms or less |
| Local bandwidth utilisation | 90% or less, not exceeded for 3 or more consecutive months |
Providers that offer equal or better SLAs can ask IMDA for an exemption, and a provider not subject to the standards must tell customers what service level it provides instead. In other words, the contract you sign is what really sets your service level.
Routers, installation and support terms
The router is where many office problems start: weak Wi-Fi, no VPN support, or a locked box nobody can configure. Ask these questions before you sign.
Questions to ask the telco
ViewQwest's terms are a good example of reading the fine print: they list on-site support charges by the hour and response time targets of 3 hours during the day and 5 hours overnight. For setting up the office network behind the fibre, see our office network and Wi-Fi setup guide.
Add a backup internet line
Fibre faults happen: a contractor cuts a cable, the termination point fails, or the provider has an outage. No SLA can prevent that, so offices that cannot stop working need a second path.
Decide what must keep working
Card terminals, cloud POS, phones, booking system, staff laptops. This sets the backup speed you need.
Choose a different technology or provider
A 4G or 5G router on another telco's mobile network avoids the same fibre fault taking out both lines.
Use a router that fails over automatically
Dual-WAN routers switch to the backup line when fibre drops, then switch back.
Test failover every quarter
Unplug the fibre for five minutes during a quiet period and check the essentials still work.
Our guide to backing up your internet with a 4G router goes through the options and costs.
Do it yourself or get help?
Comparing plans and asking the questions above is something an owner can do with two or three telco quotes side by side. Configuring the router, static IP, firewall rules and failover is where a short session with someone technical saves hours.
IT Sorted is a Singapore-based team of developers with over 10 years of experience. Our Quick Fix (S$119) covers up to one hour of remote work on one well-defined task, such as setting up port forwarding on a static IP, checking firewall rules or configuring failover on a dual-WAN router, with a written summary. If it needs longer, we quote before continuing. On-site visits are not included.
Frequently asked questions
Not usually faster, since both run on the same fibre network. Business plans add things an office may need: static IP addresses, written service level agreements with repair targets, business support hours, company invoicing and commercial-use terms. If you need none of those, a home plan may work, but check its terms allow business premises.
Only if something outside must reach or recognise your office connection: a server, NAS or CCTV accessed remotely, a supplier or bank that allow-lists your IP, a site-to-site VPN, or firewall rules by IP. Offices that only use cloud apps like Microsoft 365, Google Workspace and Xero usually do not need one.
Look for a stated monthly uptime, a repair or restoration time, and the service credit if they are missed. As an example, MyRepublic's business fibre SLA effective August 2025 states 99.95 percent uptime and an 8-hour repair target, with credits of 5 or 10 percent of the monthly charge.
IMDA's QoS standards for retail broadband apply to providers with more than 10 percent market share. They require network availability above 99.9 percent, local round-trip latency of 50 milliseconds or less and international latency of 300 milliseconds or less. Providers offering equal or better SLAs can apply for exemption.
Add a backup connection on a different network, usually a 4G or 5G router from another telco, and connect it to a dual-WAN router that switches over automatically. Decide which systems must keep working, size the backup for them, and test the failover every few months by unplugging the fibre.