What is a Leased Line?
If you use your internet to run your business, you may have experienced a slowdown in connection speeds. These go-slows can have a huge impact on team efficiencies and customer service.
A leased line provides you with dedicated bandwidth and guaranteed speeds. This is compared to standard broadband connections, which share bandwidth with other users.
It is a dedicated connection
A leased line is a dedicated point-to-point data connection that is used for business purposes. It is a fixed bandwidth service that is rented for a monthly fee. Its primary benefit is that it is symmetric, meaning that download speeds are equal to upload speeds. It can be a valuable asset for businesses that need to transfer large files and host their websites and servers.
For businesses that rely on ultra-fast internet connectivity, a leased line is an essential investment. It offers a high-performance, guaranteed bandwidth and a fast speed, all backed by a clear SLA. This ensures that you have the capacity to meet your customersâ needs and meet deadlines. The reliability of a leased line also means that you can rely on it to avoid disruptions, which can have serious consequences for a business.
A leased line is ideal for businesses that need to transfer large amounts of data regularly, such as financial services firms with real-time trading capabilities or digital enterprises with complex application infrastructure. It can be installed and managed by an IT service provider, allowing the business to focus on core operations. This type of connectivity can scale up and down as the companyâs bandwidth requirements change, making it a great choice for many business types. A leased line can also be installed in remote locations to connect offices to the internet, providing staff with secure access from home.
It is a high-speed connection
A leased line is a dedicated fibre-optic network connection that enables business owners to transfer data at a high-speed. It can be expensive, but itâs the best option for businesses that need a fast and reliable internet connection. Itâs also more secure than public switched networks. Its speed can range from 64 kilobits per second to 10 gigabits per second. A leased line can be customised to suit your businessâs needs. The bandwidth you require, your location, and the type of connection will affect its cost.
A key benefit of a leased line is that itâs uncontended and offers symmetrical speeds, meaning upload and download data can be transferred at the same time. This is important for businesses that rely on bandwidth-hungry digital services such as VoIP telephony. Itâs also much faster than consumer broadband connections, which often see their upload speeds dramatically reduce during peak times.
Many businesses rely on cloud-based applications and communication services to operate effectively. A consistent internet connection is essential to success. However, a slow or unstable connection can lead to lost productivity. A leased line offers high-speed connectivity and dedicated bandwidth, ensuring that your business can continue operating seamlessly even during peak periods. Itâs also scalable, so you can increase your connection as your business grows. Additionally, a leased line can be protected by service level agreements, which guarantee uptime and performance.
It is a secure connection
A leased line network connection is a dedicated internet service for businesses that needs fast, stable and reliable connectivity. Itâs a great alternative to business broadband, which can often be unreliable, and it provides a secure, dedicated circuit that canât be easily slowed or disrupted by other users.
A leased line is a reserved circuit between two points that are always active, which is rented monthly. It offers guaranteed bandwidth for network traffic, which is usually used to connect branches of a company. It works by sending pulses of light down a fibre optic cable, representing binary code â one and zero. These signals are then detected at either end, and converted back into ones and zeros by equipment.
These connections are symmetrical, which means that the upload and download speeds are the same. They also have guaranteed uptime and resilience, so that your business can continue working even if the internet goes down for an extended period.
A leased line is more expensive than a broadband connection, but it can offer significantly faster download and upload speeds. Itâs a good idea to check whether you can get a deal with your internet provider, as some providers offer free installation on certain contracts. Alternatively, you can purchase the infrastructure yourself and hire a contractor to install it for you.
It is a reliable connection
The reliability of a dedicated connection is crucial for businesses. If your business relies on data transfer, you canât afford to experience go-slows or lagging connections. When this happens, it impacts team efficiencies and productivity. This is what leased lines are designed to avoid.
A leased line is a dedicated private connection between an ISP and your business premises, usually via MPLS or fibre optic. It offers guaranteed bandwidth and speeds, which are unaffected by the number of users and is backed by clear SLAs. These lines are also symmetric, which means your upload and download speeds will be the same. This makes them ideal for sending large files, backing up data, hosting websites and using voice over IP telephony.
When you consider how much a go-slow in your internet connection can cost, itâs not hard to see why many businesses choose a leased line as their preferred network connectivity solution. However, there are other considerations to make when choosing a leased line provider. Itâs important to find a provider with a solid reputation and a reliable around the clock support plan.
The cost of a leased line can seem expensive, but itâs worth remembering that itâs a service thatâs guaranteed. Itâs a much more reliable and stable option than standard broadband, so you can focus on your work without worrying about the quality of your network.
