Why is the Internet often slow in rural areas? Solutions & tips

We all know the scenario: the online meeting suddenly breaks off, the POS system crashes - right in the middle of a crucial customer meeting. For companies in rural areas, unstable internet connections are not just annoying, they are a serious business risk. Because in today's digitalized economy, a fast and stable internet connection is just as important as electricity or a road connection.

While companies in cities are in the digital fast lane with fiber optic and gigabit connections, many companies in rural areas are still crawling through the network at a snail's pace.

This digital divide is increasingly jeopardizing the competitiveness of rural businesses - especially at a time when digital tools have long been part of everyday business life.

But how can companies really get fast internet in rural areas? Is there even a reliable alternative?

Why is the Internet so unreliable in rural areas?

There are many reasons for unstable Internet in rural areas:

• Long distances to network nodes and distribution points
• Insufficient expansion of mobile and fiber optic networks
• High network load due to increasing use of digital services
• Technical limitations with older DSL connections

Even fiber optics do not guarantee fast Internet everywhere, especially if the infrastructure has only been partially expanded.

The legal minimum level for Internet connections in Germany is currently 10 megabits per second for downloads and 1.7 megabits for uploads. Values that are often not even close to being achieved in rural areas. Many people in rural areas suffer from these restrictions on a daily basis, which lead to considerable losses in turnover, productivity and massive frustration. Have you ever calculated how much an unstable internet connection costs your company every month?

The figures speak for themselves:

• Only around one in four companies (26%) in rural areas has a fiber optic connection - in Bavaria the figure is only 16%.

The problem becomes particularly clear when looking at the differences between East and West:

• Western Germany: around 70% of companies have access to high-performance broadband
• Eastern Germany: only 44% of companies have access

The difference is even clearer with gigabit networks:

• Western German states: around 75 %
• Eastern German states: less than 50 %

These figures make it impressively clear that the digital divide runs right across Germany - and it becomes deeper the more rural and further east a region is located. While cloud-based processes are taken for granted in metropolitan areas such as Munich, people just a few kilometers away are still struggling to open simple email attachments.

However, in times of increasing digitalization, working from home, cloud use and data-intensive applications such as video conferencing, CRM systems and remote maintenance, a stable and fast internet connection is essential. The unequal digital infrastructure between urban and rural regions significantly impairs the competitiveness and innovative capacity of rural companies.

"Sorry, I was frozen for a moment ..." - When the loading bar becomes a pain in the ass

Slow internet has long been more than just a nuisance for many companies - it is a real productivity killer. According to a DIHK survey, a poor or unstable connection is one of the biggest operational hurdles for many companies. The consequences are concrete and damaging to business:

• Cloud services fail: backups and file shares take forever or don't work at all.
• Communication problems: online meetings become a test of patience.
• Loss of time: Uploading large amounts of data - such as CAD plans or video material - takes hours.
• Brake on innovation: New business models or automation fail due to bandwidth.

"Working from home and video conferencing are now part of everyday life in nine out of ten companies," says Bertram Brossardt from the Bavarian Business Association. But this is by no means the end of the challenges. Modern business processes are based on stable and powerful networks - be it for cloud-based accounting, logistics systems or real-time communication with customers. A widespread misconception is: "10 or 20 Mbit/s is enough!"

What many people underestimate: Bandwidth requirements increase rapidly even for everyday applications - especially when several people are active on the Internet at the same time.

What companies really need today:

Upload rates are particularly critical - the bottleneck here in rural areas is often less than 2 Mbit/s. This makes not only cloud backups a challenge, but also simple everyday processes a test of patience.

If you want to remain competitive, you need more than an Internet minimum - you need a high-performance, fail-safe Internet connection. This is exactly where bonding technology comes in.

A comparison of alternative solutions - and why they are often not enough

Many companies are forced to resort to familiar options to solve their Internet problems - such as DSL, mobile hotspots, GigaCube or satellite solutions. In practice, however, these alternatives quickly reach their limits: The speed fluctuates, the data volume is often limited and the connections are rarely really stable.

Even the supposedly future-proof 5G network cannot deliver what it promises in many rural areas - because expansion is still in its infancy in many places. The same applies to cable internet, which is simply not available in many areas. And a fiber optic connection remains a distant prospect for many companies - often for cost reasons or due to a lack of nationwide availability.

Although new offerings such as satellite internet (e.g. Starlink) theoretically create nationwide accessibility, in practice they cause problems: fluctuations in performance, shared bandwidths and dependencies - especially when there are many users in a region.

The solution: How bonding technology helps companies in rural areas

Slow or unstable Internet no longer has to be a permanent problem - especially not for companies in rural areas. The solution is called bonding technology. This involves bundling several existing internet connections - for example DSL, mobile (LTE/5G), cable or satellite - into a single, high-performance connection. This compensates for weaknesses in individual lines, compensates for outages and significantly increases the available bandwidth.

Instead of waiting for the lengthy fiber optic expansion or having to come to terms with individual solutions, bonding immediately creates a stable, scalable and highly available Internet connection - regardless of location.

And this is how it works:

A specialized router takes over the intelligent load distribution of the bundled connections. For example, a 16 Mbps DSL connection and two LTE signals can be combined to form a stable 60+ Mbps line - ideal for video conferences, cloud backups or networked machines.

Bonding with Eventnet: Simple. Stable. Immediately available.

Eventnet offers a fully pre-configured bonding system that can use up to four different Internet signals simultaneously.

Our bonding router:

• is simply activated via power connection (plug-and-play)
• has SIM slots for LTE/5G
• has a static external IP address
• Can be conveniently managed via a performance app
• Support by e-mail and telephone

Your advantages at a glance:

• Stability: No more interruptions during meetings or important data transfers
• Independence: Reduced dependence on individual providers or networks
• Scalability: Ideal for growing requirements, home office, IoT & cloud
• Maximum availability: Works reliably even in remote regions
• Cost efficiency: existing infrastructure can simply continue to be used
• Future-proof: perfect basis for AI, automation and digitalization

With bonding, you get high-performance Internet immediately - without having to wait for the next fiber optic expansion. This enables companies to remain competitive, efficient and innovative, even in digitally peripheral regions. Find out how you can benefit from fast Internet here: "Internet in the countryside"

Why Eventnet is the right choice for stable Internet in rural areas

At Eventnet, we see ourselves as a reliable partner who ensures your success with customized Internet solutions. Our bonding technology clearly stands out from alternatives on the market thanks to its innovative technology, personal support and customized solutions. Our team of experienced IT experts will analyze your existing infrastructure and work with you to develop the optimal solution - regardless of dead spots, network expansion or regional restrictions.

With Eventnet, you not only get stable Internet, but also a partner who understands your requirements - and actively helps to shape your digitalization.

Don't let poor internet slow you down any longer

Bonding technology is the most reliable and innovative solution for a stable Internet connection in rural areas. Especially where conventional technologies often fail, bonding provides the much-needed security and speed. Companies benefit not only from a reliable connection, but also from improved business continuity and higher productivity.

Instead of continuing to struggle with unstable networks and bandwidth drops, Bonding offers a durable and scalable solution that is tailored to your needs.

Conclusion: Digitalization must not be a locational disadvantage

Today, digital infrastructure is a decisive location factor - as important as electricity or road connections. Anyone who still wonders whether high-speed Internet is really necessary could just as easily ask whether companies could work by candlelight. Theoretically yes - practically absurd.

Companies in rural areas must no longer be disadvantaged. After all, this not only jeopardizes individual companies, but also the economic development of entire regions. The good news: Internet bonding is immediately available and tried and tested - and can help to bridge the digital divide.

Don't wait any longer - make yourself independent of fluctuating bandwidths and unstable connections. Take advantage of our expert knowledge and benefit from our many years of experience.

Book directly here your free consultation appointment - and ensure the digital success of your company. No matter where you work.