A leased line is a dedicated connection between your business and your internet service provider. They are super-fast and offer the same upload speed as they do download, making them perfect for running in-house servers or video conferencing.
They also come with a guaranteed Service Level Agreement, meaning any connectivity issues can be fixed within hours and not days like with broadband connections. So how long does it take to install a leased line?
1. Site Survey
Unlike broadband connections which are shared with other users a leased line is dedicated to you, allowing your business to use bandwidth-hungry services such as cloud based applications and VoIP. Typically your leased line will also provide symmetrical speeds meaning that uploads are as fast as downloads, ideal for large data transfers or video conferencing.
Once you have placed your order with your Internet Service Provider (ISP) the process begins with a site survey. This is normally a desk-based process known as a desktop survey but can sometimes require an on-site visit from a planner (this is where knowing your ONEA reference number is handy).
The purpose of this is to check that the line can be installed and that no extra construction charges will be required, these are usually only if new ducting or fibre needs to be run to get to your premises. It is possible to cancel your leased line order at this stage if it looks like there will be extra construction costs (ECC’s) but this can extend the overall installation time frame.
2. Confirmation
Businesses that rely heavily on data transfer for day to day operations should consider leased lines. This can include financial services firms that need up to the second intelligence and trading capability, or digital enterprises like e-commerce that require high quality connectivity.
Unlike broadband connections leased lines are dedicated, meaning that the speed does not fall during peak times as it can do with consumer Internet. As a result, they deliver fast download and upload speeds and are perfect for running business software applications and video conferencing solutions.
The leased line process can take a little longer than broadband as it is a fire connection that is installed point to point between your business premises and the internet service provider (ISP). Once a survey has been carried out by either Openreach or an altnet fibre provider work will start to be planned which will normally involve checking network information, capacity and routes. It is important to ensure that the ISP knows where you want the circuit terminating as changing this can increase costs and delays.
3. Installation
If your business is looking for a dedicated high-speed circuit then you should consider a leased line. They are a fibre optic, point-to-point network connection that delivers zero contention and symmetric download and upload speeds.
A leased line is the ideal solution for businesses that rely on cloud services like email, CRM or telephony and need the speed and reliability to ensure a smooth service. They are normally monitored by your provider so if there is an issue they will often know before you and be able to get it fixed quickly.
To install a leased line the first step is for a technician from Open Reach to visit your premises and conduct a site survey. This allows them to assess how easy it will be to get a circuit from the local exchange to your premises using existing fibre cables. This will save you time and money compared to laying new fibre from scratch.
4. Test
Just like any other internet connection a leased line can experience issues (although they do tend to be less prone to problems than broadband connections as they are delivered on fibre optic cabling whereas most broadband is on copper which can suffer from wiring issues and interference). If you do notice that your leased lines are not performing as they should be, we recommend conducting a speed test directly from the Optical Network Terminal (ONT) at each site or contacting your IT support provider if you cannot resolve the issue yourself.
Leased lines offer businesses dedicated, fixed-bandwidth data connectivity with a guaranteed upload and download speed as well as uptime and resilience. Essentially, they are a private lane on the motorway for your business to use. It is easy to see why many businesses are drawn to these types of connections purely for their speed, however, this should not be the sole reason for opting for them.
