Fibre leased line packages are becoming more popular in the UK as broadband speeds increase and prices drop. Fibre can provide much faster speeds than traditional copper-based broadband, which has been the most common type of connection for many years now. The fibre leased line costs are also lower than what you might expect to pay for a similar amount of data on a standard internet package.
Read this blog post if you’re considering upgrading your business’s broadband service or would like to learn more about how fibre can benefit your company’s network infrastructure.
What Is Fibre Broadband?
The term ‘fibre broadband’ is something we hear everywhere, but what does it really mean? It simply refers to the type of cable that’s used to carry data to and from your premises. Standard broadband (also known as ADSL) relies on copper telephone lines to transmit data, whereas fibre broadband uses newer, fibreoptic cables.
There are two main advantages associated with fibre broadband compared to copped-based ADSL connections: speed and reliability. Quite simply, data can be transmitted at faster speeds via fibreoptic cables than it can be along copper telephone lines. This means that users can generally access much faster download and upload speeds when using fibre broadband connections.
Additionally, copper telephone lines are only good at transmitting data over certain distances. Depending on how far your premises are situated from the roadside cabinet that houses the telephone lines, your internet speeds will be further reduced, and your connection may become intermittent or unstable.
Due to this, an increasing number of businesses are choosing to switch to fibre broadband but what type of fibre broadband is best for you?
FFTC, FTTP and Leased Line Fibre Broadband
Now you know why fibre broadband is better than ADSL, it’s time to look at the different ways you can access this technology.
FTTC
Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC) connections use fibreoptic cables from the telephone exchange to the roadside cabinet. However, copper telephone lines are then used to transmit data from the cabinet to your premises. Effectively, this gives you a hybrid connection that uses both fibreoptic cables and copper cables. Of course, the downside is that the use of copper cables can affect data speeds and reliability, although perhaps not as much as a full copper-based ADSL connection.
FTTP
Fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) connections rely solely on fibreoptic cables, which makes them faster than FTTP setups. You might have heard FTTP connections described as ‘superfast fibre broadband’, but they’re certainly not infallible. When data is shared over an FTTP connection, it’s sent from your premises to a nearby node or cabinet. Here, the data enters a shared infrastructure. This means that other users are also using the same fibreoptic cables that your business is using, which makes it a ‘contended service’.
Although fibreoptic cables can transmit data more quickly and carry it over longer distances than copper lines, a large number of users sharing the same infrastructure inevitably affects the quality of the connection. As a result, speeds can drop, and connections can become less reliable.
Leased Line
A leased line connection ensures that fibreoptic cables are used to transmit data throughout its entire journey in the same way as a FTTP connection but, crucially, a leased line means that you don’t share any infrastructure with other users. Instead, data is transmitted via a private fibreoptic cable until it reaches the public internet.
As you might expect, a private fibre leased line connection provides much faster speeds. In fact, fibre leased line speeds can reach 1Mbps to 10Gbps. In addition to this, a dedicated fibre leased line can offer enhanced stability and reliability. With no other users to compete with, your private optical fibre leased line remains solely for your company’s use, which ensures that the service remains uninterrupted at all times.
What’s the Best Broadband Option for Your Business?
If unparalleled access to high speeds and maximum reliability is a top priority, then a fibre leased line UK is going to be your preferred option. Certainly, this type of ‘direct internet access’ service provides users with seamless internet connectivity. For businesses that use a lot of data, or which have numerous in-house staff using the connection, a fibre leased line can be the most efficient connection.
Alternatively, an Ethernet-over-FTTC (EOFTTC) or Ethernet First Mile (EFM) can bridge the gap between regular FTTP connections and enhance your speeds and connection stability while minimising costs.
Ultimately, the amount of data your company uses, the location of your premises, and the need for high-speed internet connections will affect which type of broadband is best for your business. However, the increasing cost-effectiveness of enhanced solutions, like leased lines, means that more and more companies are choosing to upgrade their connections.
How Much Is a Fibre Leased Line?
Many people assume that fibre leased line costs will prohibit them from accessing the service, but this simply isn’t the case. In fact, costs are decreasing all the time.
What’s more – the increased operational efficiency and reliability that’s available via leased lines can boost your productivity and, therefore, offset the costs of an enhanced connection.
Of course, the internet provider you choose to work with will set their own fees, so you can expect to be quoted different rates for a BT fibre leased line, TalkTalk fibre leased line, CityFibre leased line, Virgin fibre leased line, and so on.
Reducing the Cost of Business Broadband
By working with an experienced data solutions provider like DRC, however, you can access the best deals on fibre leased lines and business broadband connections. With access to a wide range of options, we provide a choice of contract lengths, short service-level agreements (SLAs), unrivalled support and much, much more.
To learn more about fibre leased lines or to discuss other business broadband options, contact our experienced team now on 01256 895895 or email us at [email protected].
