A rather telling sign of the times for the state of UK businesses arrived today in the form of a new study conducted on behalf of broadband provider Pipex. Among the report’s findings were that nearly eight out of ten UK small to medium sized enterprises use home broadband for their business. Conversely, 48 per cent of those surveyed use just pure office business broadband, which of course tends to be more costly.

On paper at least it seems that relying on home broadband is a prudent cost-cutting exercise. You get to stay connected and are contactable by your clients and employees, but do not incur higher charges for what you may regard as specialised services.

But before businesses think about switching to a home broadband set up in order to save money, it’s important to consider how important services that typically only come with a business package are to your business.

For instance, a fixed internet address can give a real feel of professionalism to an enterprise – something that can be vital how your company is perceived. And just as important is the potential to use a business VOIP service, which can dramatically cut your phone call costs.

If you’re not sure if business broadband is right for you, you can check out our guide to business broadband to help you make a decision.