When internet access goes down in a care facility, the effects ripple quickly. A cloud-based EHR becomes unreachable, voice over IP phones may fail, eFax stops, cameras cannot be viewed remotely, and staff scramble for paper. As more services move to the cloud, your internet connection has become as critical as electricity.
Choosing the right connection, and planning for its failure, is a key infrastructure decision. This guide explains the options in plain terms so administrators can have informed conversations with providers and IT partners.
Before comparing providers, assess how your facility uses the internet:
Cloud EHR and pharmacy systems
VoIP phones and video calls, including telehealth
Cloud backup and replication
Security cameras with off-site viewing or recording
Resident and guest Wi-Fi, which can be a large share of traffic
Software updates, remote support and email
Resident Wi-Fi, streaming televisions and video calls with family can consume far more bandwidth than clinical systems, so it should be planned and limited separately.
Fiber: typically offers the highest reliability and speed, often with symmetrical upload and download. It may not be available at every address, and installation can take time.
Cable broadband: widely available and often cost effective, but speeds are usually asymmetrical with lower upload, and performance can vary at busy times. Business-class plans offer better support than residential ones.
Dedicated internet access (DIA): a guaranteed bandwidth connection with service-level agreements, usually delivered over fiber. It costs more but offers stronger commitments.
DSL and older copper services: may still be the only choice in some rural areas, but often limited in speed.
Fixed wireless: radio-based service useful in some rural locations, sometimes as a primary or a backup.
Cellular 4G and 5G: convenient for backup, and sometimes a primary connection where wired options are poor.
Satellite: an option for remote areas, with higher latency that can affect voice and some applications.
Many facilities in Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas are in smaller communities where options differ block by block, so ask providers for availability at your exact address.
There is no single number that fits every facility. Consider:
The number of staff and devices active at the busiest hour
Whether resident Wi-Fi shares the same circuit
Upload needs for cloud backups and video
Growth over the next three to five years
Ask your IT provider to review current usage statistics from your firewall before you buy. Overbuying wastes money, and underbuying causes daily frustration.
A single circuit is a single point of failure. A good failover design includes:
A second circuit from a different provider, ideally using different physical paths into the building. Two services from the same company that share the same cable or pole may fail together.
Automatic failover, using a firewall or SD-WAN device that detects an outage and switches traffic within seconds.
Cellular backup, a more affordable option that keeps essential functions running, even if speeds are lower.
Prioritization rules, so that during failover clinical systems and phones get bandwidth ahead of guest streaming.
Backup power for the modem, firewall and switches, so a short power flicker does not take everything down.
What is the guaranteed uptime and how is it measured?
What is the repair time commitment?
Is the service symmetrical?
What is the contract length and early termination cost?
Are there data caps or throttling?
How is support reached, and is there a business-class support line?
Is a static IP address available?
What is the typical installation timeline?
Keep circuit IDs, account numbers, support phone numbers and contract dates in a central place. Test failover at least twice a year, during a planned window, to confirm it really works. Many facilities discover during an outage that a backup line was never configured correctly.
Circuit selection and failover design are easier with an experienced partner. UnityCare IT can review your usage, evaluate provider options and configure a failover solution that keeps critical systems reachable when the primary line fails.
Call or text: 405-285-3845
New customers: start@unitycareit.com
Existing customers: support@unitycareit.com
Address: UnityCare Technologies, 2524 N Broadway Ste 554, PMB 947974, Edmond, Oklahoma 73034-4172