There are many sub-specialties in the world of technology and telecommunications. Depending on your company’s needs, you might find yourself working with one type of provider over another—or maybe even a team that can do it all.

3 Types of Business Telecommunication Services

In a general sense, cabling, networking, and telecommunication providers all fall under the umbrella of "Communication Infrastructure Services" or "Telecommunication Infrastructure Services." This category relates to both the physical and technical components necessary for the transmission and exchange of information, voice, and data.

As businesses grow and evolve, their communication requirements also change. Partnering with the right service provider can help ensure that your infrastructure is scalable and secure, whether inside a single building, across multiple locations on your campus, or even over long distances for remote collaboration.

1. Cabling Providers

First up, we have cabling providers. These companies specialize in everything from the design and installation, to the regular maintenance and management of the physical cabling systems. Whether you’re dealing with copper cabling or fast fiber optic, the setup should be working to carry data, voice, and video signals within buildings or across locations.

Cabling providers are responsible for the entire foundation of a communication network and infrastructure, so the solution’s reliability and efficiency will be directly impacted by the team’s own expertise. Proper installation and organization are critical.

These professionals also need to be familiar with the standards and compliance requirements for various industries. Healthcare, finance, and government, where data security and privacy are top concerns for healthcare, finance, and government entities. There’s no room for error.

2. Networking Providers

Cybersecurity is definitely top of mind for companies today, and networking providers can build on your cabling solutions to enhance your security efforts even more and protect your company's digital data. Good networking providers focus on creating and managing computer networks that are secure, as well as scalable.

Different factors, such as the number of users, network traffic, and security requirements, will influence the design and configuration of an organization’s network infrastructure. That means your local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), or any wireless networks—including routers, switches, firewalls, and other equipment—need to be working in harmony.

Networking providers can help you get the best possible solution for every piece of your network architecture. There are a lot of things in play, but the right team should be able to troubleshoot any connectivity issues and also configure your system to optimize performance.

3. Telecommunications Providers

Telecommunications providers, also known as carriers, deliver communication services to end-users. They provide voice, data, and multimedia services over long distances using a variety of technologies, including both wired and wireless networks. The services typically relate to your company’s telephone system, broadband internet, or other types of mobile communication.

That being said, some telecommunications companies have expertise in various areas, and can go beyond simply being a “service provider.” These are the ones who can position themselves as partners and work closely with businesses to understand their unique requirements. Then they can deliver tailored designs for all types of specific business needs.

This can include the cabling and networking, plus other communication infrastructure and data security solutions too. Working with one telecomm company can be a smart call when you want to streamline your project. So if you can find one that does it all, that can be a major win!