What is a leased line and why use one?

What is a leased line and why use one?

What is a leased line? Why use one for your business? These are questions commonly asked and as experts in connectivity, we thought we’d share our knowledge of leased lines and the benefits they bring to businesses.

First and foremost, a ‘leased line’ is known as Dedicated Internet Access, or DIA. This means your business gets a dedicated ethernet service with bandwidth specifically reserved for you, improving overall reliability and speed.  A leased line does not have a traditional phone service like broadband does, but can host VoIP or hosted cloud telephony services.

What is the difference between a leased line and broadband?

Unlike a typical business broadband solution, a leased line offers exclusive bandwidth for your own business usage. A leased line is able to carry more than just Internet data – it can carry phone calls and corporate VPN traffic as well give you speed and lightening-quick fix times.

Advantages and disadvantages compared to standard broadband

Compared to broadband, leased lines offer faster download and upload speeds and connections that do not suffer downtime associated with peak periods. A leased line also means receiving dedicated support from your provider. The downsides are mainly around cost – a leased line is a more premium option than Broadband. You will also need a new circuit installed for a leased line, as it cannot run off your pre-existing phone line circuit.

Types of leased lines

• Ethernet Over FTTC: perfect for those getting started, this line offers guaranteed performance with speeds of up to 80Mb and a 7 hour fix SLA.
• Ethernet First Mile: when fibre isn’t available, this offers a cost-efficient alternative with speeds of up to 20MB and a 7 hour fix time.
• Fibre Ethernet: the premium solution offering speeds of up to 1GB, this option offers a 5 hour fix time.

Deciding on which leased line is right for your business means consulting with a leased line provider. Some premises won’t be able to facilitate certain options and some may be unsuitable or unnecessary for the size of your business.

Benefits of a leased line

A leased line offers an all-inclusive price for your internet services, gives you a more reliable and stable connection and provides you with dedicated support. No waiting in queues for broadband providers to tell you there’s an outage or they’re sending someone in 2 weeks’ time – just reliable performance and peace of mind. For businesses in a world where connectivity is essential, a leased line is ideal for granting high-performing internet access to your entire team.

Do you need a leased line?

When considering a leased line, you should first assess your current internet services. Is your connection frequently slowing or dropping entirely? How much of your business requires internet access? Do you use cloud-based services and if not, why not? Is the pricing plan you are currently on working well for your business?

By considering these questions, you can begin to understand whether a leased line is something that would benefit you. However, speaking to a specialist provider is recommended.

How to get a leased line

To get started with a leased line you’ll need to talk to a service provider who can help you find the right fit for your business. The benefits each provider offers will vary. For example, at Windsor Telecom we offer:

• 1 or 3 year contracts
• Static IP & business-grade router included
• Direct connections to over 300 cloud-based applications
• Monitoring service on all leased lines
• Dedicated provision advisor to get you started

For businesses looking for a more reliable, stable and dependable connection that combines your phone and internet access into a monitored, supported line, choose Windsor Telecom’s leased line services today and discover a better standard of customer service. Contact us today and we can discuss your business requirements and what solution may be right for you.