POPP Communications

A business person wishing they had POPP automatic failover of voice and internet

What Happens If Your Business Internet Goes Down? Automatic Failover for Twin Cities Businesses Explained

If your internet connection fails, can your business still operate?

For most small and mid-sized businesses in the Twin Cities, the honest answer is: no.

Email stops. Cloud apps freeze. And if you’re using a VoIP phone system—your phones go silent.

Why Business Internet Reliability is Mission-Critical

When we ask our clients how important their internet connection is, the answer is almost always:

“Absolutely critical.”

And it makes sense.

Today’s businesses rely on:

Without internet access, your team can’t work—and your customers can’t reach you.

The Real Cost of Internet Downtime

Let’s put some numbers to it.

If the average fully-loaded cost of an employee is $60/hour, that equals $1 per minute per employee (and that’s conservative).

Now consider this scenario:

  • 20 employees
  • 2-hour internet outage

That’s $2,400 in lost productivity—from just one outage.

And that doesn’t include:

  • Lost sales opportunities
  • Missed customer calls
  • Damage to your reputation

Reliable Internet Isn’t Enough

Many businesses assume that upgrading to a “high-reliability” internet connection solves the problem.

But even a connection with 99.99% uptime still allows for nearly an hour of downtime per year.

So the real question isn’t:
“How reliable is your internet?”

It’s:
“What happens when it fails?”

The Solution: Dual Internet + Automatic Failover

The most effective way to protect your business is with a dual internet connection and automatic failover.

Here’s how it works:

  • Your business has two separate internet connections
  • Both connect through a properly configured firewall
  • If the primary connection fails…
  • Traffic automatically switches to the backup connection in seconds

No downtime. No disruption. No scrambling.

Why Dual Connections Matter

This setup isn’t just about redundancy—it’s about continuity.

For best results:

  • Each connection should come from a different Internet Service Provider (ISP)
  • This prevents a single provider outage from taking down your entire business

Think of it as insurance for your operations—one that often pays for itself after a single outage.

Real World Example (Twin Cities Business)

Without failover:

  • Your phones stop ringing
  • Your team can’t access systems
  • Work comes to a halt

With automatic failover:

  • Calls route seamlessly through your backup connection
  • Employees stay productive
  • Your customers never notice a problem

Is Your Business Protected?

If your business depends on the internet (and it does), then failover isn’t optional—it’s essential.

The good news: it’s easier and more affordable than most businesses think.

Talk to a Local Automatic Failover Expert

Want to make sure your business stays online—even during an outage?

Talk to a POPP Technology Advisor about:

  • Dual internet connection setup
  • Automatic failover configuration
  • VoIP business continuity planning
Connect with a POPP Technology Advisor today!