If you’re a business looking to enhance your internet connectivity, you’ve likely come across the term “leased line.” But what exactly is a leased line, and how can it benefit your operations?
What is a Leased Line?
A leased line is a dedicated, fixed-bandwidth, symmetric data connection. In simpler terms, it’s a private, high-speed internet connection reserved exclusively for your business. Unlike standard consumer internet connections, a leased line offers a consistent and reliable performance, even during peak times.
How Does a Leased Line Work?
A leased line is used to link two locations together. Typically, one location is your office and the other could be another office, data centre connected to the internet or a data centre connected to your company’s existing Wide Area Network (WAN).
Businesses commonly use leased lines for the following reasons:
- Internet Connectivity: Providing a reliable and fast internet connection.
- Office Interconnectivity: Linking PCs and servers in different corporate offices.
- VoIP Telephony: Carrying phone calls over the internet.
- Remote Access: Enabling staff to connect to their work PCs from home.
Key Features of Leased Lines
Dedicated Connection
A leased line is a dedicated connection, meaning the bandwidth is reserved solely for your use along its entire route. Unlike consumer internet connections, your bandwidth doesn’t decrease during peak times when other users are online.
Symmetric Speeds
Leased lines offer symmetric speeds, which means you can upload data at the same fast rate as you can download it. This feature is particularly beneficial if your business needs to:
- Access desktop PCs remotely
- Send and upload large files
- Backup data using online services
- Host websites on your office server
- Use VoIP telephony systems
Versatility
While many companies purchase internet access with their leased lines, a leased line is not the same as an internet connection. Just as a pipe can carry various substances (water, gas or waste), a leased line can carry different types of data traffic, including internet traffic, phone calls, and corporate VPN traffic.
If you choose to get internet access, you don’t have to fill the entire leased line capacity with it. For instance, you might get 15Mbps of internet access on a 20Mbps leased line, which could be provisioned over a 100Mbps circuit, leaving room for other uses like WAN traffic and VoIP calls.
Speed and Cost
Leased lines can deliver speeds ranging from 2Mbps to 10,000Mbps (10Gbps), depending on your needs and budget. Generally, a 10Mbps connection costs twice as much as a 2Mbps connection, and a 100Mbps connection costs twice as much as a 10Mbps connection.
Advantages Over ADSL
- Faster Download and Upload Speeds: Higher and symmetric speeds.
- Consistent Performance: No slowdowns during peak times.
- Greater Reliability: More dependable and consistent service.
- Better Support: Enhanced customer and technical support with a faster SLA.
Disadvantages Compared to ADSL
- Cost: Leased lines are more expensive than ADSL connections.
- Installation Time: It can take up to three months to install a leased line, compared to two weeks for ADSL.
- Complex Installation: Installing a leased line requires a new circuit, which may involve construction work.
What Will a Leased Line Cost?
The cost of a leased line depends on the connection speed you want, your location, and the length of your contract.
For further information on Leased Line Internet and other internet options, visit our Fusion Internet page. For a more technical understanding of leased lines, check out this guide on Techopedia.
Ready to transform your business connectivity with a dedicated leased line? Contact us today for a free consultation and request a personalised quote. Get started now.
