Leased lines can provide the level of service that they require as it offers a dedicated line with no disruption from other traffic.
There are many providers of leased lines and many types of lines available which use a variety of names such as Generic Ethernet Access (GEA), Ethernet First Mile (EFM), Direct Internet Access (DIA), Ethernet over FTTC (EoFTTC), Ethernet Access Direct (EAD), Fibre Ethernet, Point to Point Ethernet and Ethernet Wireless.
We have explored what is on offer and provided a leased line cost comparison to help you navigate your way to finding a provider.
The table below gives a quick price comparison of the top UK leased line providers.
| Company | Price from per month | Top speed |
|---|---|---|
| BT | £395 | 10Gbps |
| TalkTalk | £90 | 900Mbps |
| Virgin Media | £312 | 10Gps |
| Zen | Not stated | 900Mbps |
| KCOM | Not stated | 900Mbps |
| Vodafone | £222 | 10Gbps |
| Hyperoptic | £220 | 10Gbps |
| Ogi | Not stated | 1Gbps |
| IDNet | £240 | 10Gbps |
| Glide | Not stated | Not stated |
| Stream Networks | £167 | 10Gbps |
| Exa Networks | Not stated | Not stated |
| Watchfront | Not stated | Not stated |
| Amatis Networks | Not stated | 100Mbps |
| Airband | Not stated | 900Mbps |
| Pine Media | £185 | 10Gbps |
| hSo | Not stated | 10Gbps |
| uno Communications | Not stated | Not stated |
| CloudScape | Not stated | Not stated |
| Telecoms World | £99 | 10Gbps |
| Telappliant | Not stated | 10Gbps |
| Andrews & Arnold | Not stated | 1Gbps |
| Cerberus Networks | Not stated | 10Gbps |
| FluidOne | Not stated | 10Gbps |
| Gradwell | Not stated | 10Gbps |
| Lily | Not stated | Not stated |
| OptaNet | £99 | 10Gbps |
| Southern Communications | Not stated | Not stated |
| Spitfire | £139 | 100Gbps |
| Structured Communications | Not stated | 1Gbps |
| 4Com | Not stated | 1Gbps+ |
| Air IT Group | Not stated | Not stated |
| Best 4 Business Communications | Not stated | Not stated |
| Sangoma | Not stated | Not stated |
| Focus Group | Not stated | 10Gbps |
* The facts and figures included here come from each company’s website and were accurate at the time of writing but may have since changed. Also, please keep in mind these may not be apples to apples comparisons as each provider offers different solutions. This guide should be used as a starting off point for more research on your part.
Below we profile each of the companies’ services and features in a bit more detail.
Note companies are ranked in no particular order and this no way indicates one solution is better than another.
1. BT
Some of the features and benefits of BT’s leased lines.
- Leased line options of Btnet and BTnet 1Gbps+ options
- Speeds up to 10Gbps
- Allows you to send and receive massive files
- Bespoke and tailored packages
- Provides simpler pricing
- Offers 100% target service availability
- 5-hour target fix time
- Guaranteed for <20ms UK and a <95ms transatlantic latency
- Integrated security packages for defence against threats
- Live chat and a range of customer service options
2. TalkTalk
Some of the features and benefits of TalkTalk’s leased lines.
- 2 Fibre broadband solutions: Business Fibre (SoGEA) and Business Full Fibre (FTTP)
- Speeds up to 900Mb/s
- Fast and reliable internet
- Fibre Broadband speeds up to 50x faster than traditional connectivity
- Cloud-ready internet access
- 99.995% reliable connectivity
- Unlimited data usage
- Digital voice add-on available soon
- Flexible contract lengths from 12, 24 and 36 months
- 24/7 UK based customer support
3. Virgin Media
Some of the features and benefits of Virgin Media’s leased lines.
- Dedicated fibre Ethernet connection
- Speeds up to 10Gbps as standard
- Symmetrical upload and download speeds
- Flexible product that enables you to tailor your service
- Resilient and secure service
- Fast response times dependent on package
- SLA of 99.995% availability
- Backup and disaster recovery
- Full ISO 27001 certification
- 24/7 monitoring and customer service
4. Zen
Some of the features and benefits of Zen’s leased lines.
- Offers a range of packages
- Suitable for small and large businesses
- Speeds up to 900Mbps
- Fibre Ethernet
- Scalable bandwidth
- High speed and resilient internet
- Guaranteed performance
- Dedicated 24/7 customer support
- 99-100% availability SLA
- Which? Recommended for five years running
5. KCOM
Some of the features and benefits of KCOM’s leased lines.
- Offers a range of full fibre leased line solutions
- Suitable for businesses of all sizes and types
- Speeds up to 900Mbps
- Cater for single and multiple sites
- Flexible packages
- FREE installation
- Dedicated high bandwidth
- 99.999% network availability
- 24/7 customer support
- Experts available to help manage your switch
6. Vodafone
Some of the features and benefits of Vodafone’s leased lines.
- Offers Ethernet services
- Speeds up to 100Gbps
- Enables voice, video and data services on a single connection
- Helps expand Local Area Network nationally and internationally
- Ethernet VPN
- Ethernet Wireless
- Dedicated Ethernet
- Provides increased responsiveness
- Offers service assurance levels and 24/7 support
- Caters for businesses of all sizes with scalable solutions
7. Hyperoptic
Some of the features and benefits of Hyperoptic’s leased lines.
- Offers three speeds of leased lines
- Speeds up to 10Gbps
- Symmetrical download and upload speeds
- No contention
- Unlimited data
- Includes a static IP address and can purchase additional ones
- No landline is needed
- Scalable solutions
- 5 hour SLA
- 24/7 network monitoring and customer support 9am-9pm 7 days a week
8. Ogi
Some of the features and benefits of Ogi’s leased lines.
- Services designed for business users only
- Speeds up to 1Gbps
- Offers symmetrical uploads and download speeds
- Reliability and resilient services
- Provides global demand at a local level
- Suitable for small businesses to large organisations
- Covers South Wales and is expanding its network
- Uses global carriers for transit and IX peering arrangements
- Offers a financially backed SLA
- Almost 100% uptime
9. IDNet
Some of the features and benefits of IDNet’s leased lines.
- Offers EtherPro Leased Lines
- Speeds up to 10Gbps
- Private and uncontended lines
- Symmetrical connections
- Can connect two or more buildings
- Offers point-to-point, point-to-multipoint and mesh configurations
- Can include automatic failover options
- Future-proofed solutions that are scalable
- Enhanced security to negate risk
- 24/7 support and 99.95% service availability
10. Glide
Some of the features and benefits of Glide’s leased lines.
- Superfast and ultrafast speeds on leased lines
- Flexible options with speeds to suit your needs
- Unlimited bandwidth and data transfer
- Uncontended lines
- Private and secure internet connections
- Symmetrical download and upload speeds
- In-house traffic routing and security
- Offers the ability to connect your business locations
- Guaranteed performance backed by SLA
- 24/7 UK based customer support
11. Stream Networks
Some of the features and benefits of Stream Networks’ leased lines.
- Offers Fibre Ethernet leased lines
- Speeds up to 10Gbps
- Dedicated and uncontended lines
- Offers a variety of speeds
- Connectivity for latency critical applications such as voice and video
- Provides Software Defined Networking which puts you in control of your network
- Includes DDoS protection security
- Provides a fail-over service using fibre backup
- 6-hour fix time and 100% uptime guarantee
- 24/7 UK based monitoring and support
12. Exa Networks
Some of the features and benefits of Exa Networks’ leased lines.
- Offers Ultrafast leased lines
- Specialists for the education sector
- Bespoke service packages
- Secure and stable internet connectivity
- Offers greater bandwidth and reliability
- Provides a variety of speeds to meet your needs
- Symmetrical upload and download speeds
- Uncontended line speed
- Traffic re-routing Points of Presence (PoPs) in case of outages
- Offers award-winning customer support
13. Watchfront
Some of the features and benefits of Watchfront’s leased lines.
- Offers four main products
- Speeds not stated
- Minimum contract of one month
- Fibre leased lines
- Offers low latency
- Provides higher reliability
- Includes static IP addresses
- No filtering or blocking
- Offers secondary DNS service
- UK based business
14. Amatis Networks
Some of the features and benefits of Amatis Networks’ leased lines.
- Offers Ethernet solutions
- Speeds up to 100Mbps
- Scalable solutions
- Secure private networks
- Offers generic Ethernet and EFM
- Quick deployment
- Connected to the Amatis cloud to offer a range of services
- Fully monitored and managed services
- Offers backup options including ADSL and 4G
- 24/7 customer support and 8-hour fix times
15. Airband
Some of the features and benefits of Airband’s leased lines.
- Offers dedicated leased lines
- Suitable for large and small businesses
- Speeds up to 900Mbps
- Uses their own private network
- Secure and reliable connection
- Offers a range of routes to give greater redundancy
- Scalable solutions
- Low installation costs with no hidden fees
- Quick deployment
- 4-hour fix times
16. Pine Media
Some of the features and benefits of Pine Media’s leased lines.
- Ultrafast leased line solutions
- Speeds of over 10Gbps
- Offers shared and dedicated leased lines
- Fast, reliable and secure business lines
- Symmetrical download and upload speeds
- Ideal for cloud-based applications and VoIP phone systems
- Contracts of 12-36 months
- 6-hour fix time SLA
- Offers uptime of over 99%
- 24/7 customer support
17. hSo
Some of the features and benefits of hSo’s leased lines.
- Choice of leased lines
- Speeds up to 10Gbps
- Symmetrical upload and download speeds
- Unlimited data usage
- EFM connections
- Fibre leased line
- Installation timescales of 60-90 working days
- Contract length from 1 to 5 years
- Fault fixes within 1 working day or less
- 24/7 UK based customer support and technicians
18. uno Communications
Some of the features and benefits of uno Communications’ leased lines.
- Fibre-based leased line solutions
- Speeds not stated
- Dedicated connection
- Higher bandwidths with symmetrical upload and download speeds
- Resilient and reliable connections
- xDSL backup
- Ethernet connectivity
- Uses national networks from Openreach and Virgin Media
- Backed by a service level agreement for minimum standards
- Also offers EFM
19. CloudScape
Some of the features and benefits of CloudScape’s leased lines.
- Ethernet solutions for businesses
- Speeds not stated
- Ethernet leased lines
- Ethernet First Mile
- Low latency
- Reliable service
- Caters for those not in fibre areas
- Competitive rates
- Also offers bonded ADSL
- Contact them for a quote
20. Telecoms World
Some of the features and benefits of Telecoms World’s leased lines.
- Private and dedicated leased lines
- Speeds up to 10Gbps
- Symmetrical upload and download speeds
- Ethernet lines or Point to Point leased lines
- Speed fast connection speeds
- Strong reliability and uncontended
- Suitable for voice and data
- Offers reassurance through their SLAs
- Maximum fault fix of 4-hours
- 24/7 monitoring and support
21. Telappliant
Some of the features and benefits of Telappliant’s leased lines.
- Private Ethernet leased lines
- Speeds up to 10Gbps
- Offers fixed leased lines
- Wireless leased lines using radio-based microwave technology
- Stable and reliable network
- Symmetrical download and upload speeds
- Free setup included on 3-year contracts
- Provides 99.99% availability
- 5-hour fault fix
- UK-based telephone and online support
22. Andrews & Arnold
Some of the features and benefits of Andrews & Arnold’s leased lines.
- Ethernet connection solutions
- Speeds from 100Mb/s – 1Gb/s are available
- Offers high speed and reliability
- Flexible solution
- Increase bandwidth quickly and easily
- Unlimited data use with no contention
- Symmetrical download and upload speeds
- Covers up to 90% of UK business addresses
- Can offer site to site
- UK-based support team
23. Cerberus Networks
Some of the features and benefits of Cerberus Networks’ leased lines.
- Offers Ethernet leased line solutions
- Speeds up to 10Gbps
- Symmetrical bandwidth (upload and download)
- Offers a choice of bandwidth
- Minimal latency
- Using traffic management to guarantee speeds
- Provides shared lines to the same location
- Scalability for business growth
- Offers private VLAN transport
- Backed by SLAs
- 24/7 monitoring and support
24. FluidOne
Some of the features and benefits of FluidOne’s leased lines.
- Provides high-speed Ethernet leased lines
- Speeds up to 10Gbps
- Scalable bandwidth that can grow with your business
- Symmetrical speeds available
- No blocking and zero contention
- Public static IP addresses
- Offers live web-based service statistics
- Dedicated Service Delivery Team
- Advertises 100% core network uptime
- 24/7 technical customer support
25. Gradwell
Some of the features and benefits of Gradwell’s leased lines.
- Offers dedicated Ethernet connection
- Speeds up to 10Gbps
- Provides consistent and reliable service
- Guaranteed minimum speeds
- Unlimited data
- Static IP addresses
- Automatic backup circuit
- Also offers EoFTTC
- Provides competitive SLAs
- 24/7 UK-based customer support
26. Lily
Some of the features and benefits of Lily’s leased lines.
- Lightning-fast leased lines
- Speeds not stated
- Tailored solutions
- Dedicated and private line
- Offers a guaranteed level of service
- No contention ratios
- Fixed charges
- Reduced latency and jitter
- Offers guaranteed a high level of service
- 24/7 support and a dedicated account manager
27. OptaNet
Some of the features and benefits of OptaNet’s leased lines.
- Offers a selection of Ethernet leased lines
- Speeds up to 10Gbps
- Reliable and resilient network
- Secure connection
- Products include GEA, FTTCoE, EFM and wireless leased lines
- Contracts of 12, 24 or 36 months
- Free installation and static IP addresses
- Offers wires only or fully managed service
- Provides 100% uptime SLA and 4-hour repair time
- 24/7 UK-based support and technical teams
28. Southern Communications
Some of the features and benefits of Southern Communication’s leased lines.
- Provides Ethernet leased lines
- Speeds up to 10Gbps
- Dedicated and uncontended
- Symmetrical upload and download speeds
- Options such as EFM, GEA and EoFTTC
- Provides high-speed connections
- Offers backup connections
- Allows you to connect sites
- 4-hour fault fix times backed by SLA guarantee
- UK-based business
Southern Communications website
29. Spitfire
Some of the features and benefits of Spitfire’s leased lines.
- Offers a range of Ethernet leased lines
- Speeds up to 10Gbps
- Flexible solutions
- Scalable bandwidth and upgrade when needed
- Uncontended bandwidth
- They design a solution to meet your needs
- Offer a range of price points
- Uses a range of wholesale carriers
- Suitable for internet, voice and video
- Provides 100% target uptime
30. Structured Communications
Some of the features and benefits of Structured Communications’ leased lines.
- Offers fibre leased lines
- Speeds not stated
- Uncontended bandwidth and resilient network
- Symmetrical downstream and upstream
- Scalable solutions
- Unlimited usage
- Ideal for handling data and voice
- Optimum fix times
- Automated system will monitor and optimise
Structured Communications website
31. 4Com
Some of the features and benefits of 4Com’s leased lines.
- Provides Ethernet leased lines
- Speeds not stated
- Ethernet Access Direct (EAD)
- Ethernet First Mile (EFM)
- Symmetrical download and uploads
- Contracts from 12 to 60 months
- Reliable connection
- Free installation on contracts over 3 years
- Provides a dedicated project manager
- UK-based customer support
32. Air IT Group
Some of the features and benefits of SoConnect’s leased lines.
- Flexible high speed leased lines
- Speeds not stated
- Symmetrical upload and download speeds
- Uncontended speeds
- Scalable solution
- Dedicated and reliable bandwidth
- Suitable for large data users and VoIP systems
- Tailored solutions for different business needs
- Advanced cybersecurity to protect your internet connection
- 24/7 technical support
33. Best 4 Business Communications
Some of the features and benefits of Best 4 Business Communications’ leased lines.
- Offers dedicated business leased lines
- Speeds not stated
- Guaranteed quality of service
- Symmetrical speeds for uploads and downloads
- Highly resilient lines
- Fully managed solution
- Static IP addresses
- Unlimited downloads
- Includes Safe Guarding content control
- Provides dedicated personal account manager
Best 4 Business Communications website
34. Sangoma
Some of the features and benefits of Sangoma’s leased lines.
- Ethernet leased line solutions
- Speeds not stated
- Connect to a high-speed fibre network
- Offers EoC, wireless Ethernet, Ethernet over Time-division multiplexing and direct fibre
- Offers a range of speeds
- Provides reliable and scalable internet connections
- They will design the best solution for you
- Suitable for bandwidth-intensive applications such as IP PBX or VoIP services
- Provides service level commitments
- 24/7 managed and monitored services
35. Focus Group
Some of the features and benefits of Focus Group’s leased lines.
- Offers dedication direct internet access
- Four main products
- Speeds up to 10Gbps
- Reliable, resilient and flexible solutions
- Fibre Optic Ethernet
- EFM
- Ethernet over FTTC
- Scalable solutions
- Uncontended internet access
- 24/7 pro-active monitoring
What are the Benefits of Leased Lines?
Leased lines offers numerous benefits for businesses both large and small.
Firstly, reliability is a key advantage of using a leased line. Unlike traditional broadband, which shares the internet connection among multiple users, a leased line provides a dedicated connection solely for your business.
This means you don’t have to worry about slow speeds or congestion caused by other users. Your business can enjoy consistently high-speed internet access, ensuring seamless connectivity for all your operations.
Secondly, leased lines offer guaranteed bandwidth. With a leased line, you are allocated a specific amount of bandwidth exclusively for your business needs.
This means that you won’t experience any fluctuations in internet speed, regardless of the time of day or the number of users.
This makes it ideal for businesses that rely heavily on bandwidth-intensive activities such as video conferencing, large file transfers, and VoIP calls. A leased line ensures that your business can efficiently and reliably handle all its online activities without any compromises.
ADSL vs Leased Lines: What’s The Difference?
ADSL and leased line are two different types of internet connections often used by businesses.
ADSL, which stands for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, provides internet connectivity through existing telephone lines.
It offers high download speeds but relatively slower upload speeds, making it more suitable for small businesses or individual users who require fast downloads but do not need to upload large files frequently.
On the other hand, a leased line is a dedicated internet connection that provides symmetrical speeds for both uploads and downloads. It offers a reliable and consistent connection, making it ideal for businesses with high data transfer requirements, such as large enterprises or organizations that heavily rely on cloud-based services.
While ADSL is a cost-effective solution for general internet usage, a leased line ensures dependable connectivity and faster data transfer speeds essential for businesses that rely heavily on internet access.
How Does A Leased Line Work?
A leased line is a dedicated telecommunications line that is rented or leased for exclusive use by a particular customer, typically a medium to large business. Leased lines are used to establish high-quality, private, and secure connections for various purposes, including data transmission, voice communication, and internet access. Here’s how a leased line works:
Dedicated Connection: Unlike traditional broadband or internet connections, which are shared with other users and subject to varying levels of traffic and performance, a leased line provides a dedicated and uncontested connection. This means that the entire bandwidth of the leased line is exclusively available to the customer who leases it.
Service Agreement: To buy a leased line, a customer must enter into a service agreement with a broadband provider (use the quote form above). This agreement specifies the terms of the lease, including the bandwidth, contract duration, and associated costs.
Physical Infrastructure: Leased lines are typically delivered using physical infrastructure, such as copper wires, fiber-optic cables, or other high-capacity transmission media. The exact technology and medium used depend on the service provider and the specific requirements of the customer.
Point-to-Point Connection: Leased lines establish a point-to-point connection between the customer’s premises (e.g., office or data centre) and the service provider’s central office or data centre. The connection is typically terminated with special equipment at both ends, such as CSU/DSU (Channel Service Unit/Data Service Unit) for digital leased lines.
Fixed Bandwidth: Leased lines offer a fixed and symmetrical bandwidth, which means the upload and download speeds are the same. This is in contrast to many residential internet connections, which often have asymmetrical speeds (faster downloads than uploads).
Reliability Leased lines are known for their high reliability and quality of service. Since they are dedicated and uncontested, they provide consistent performance, low latency, and minimal packet loss. This makes them suitable for critical applications, such as voice communication, video conferencing, and data transfer.
Service Level Agreements (SLAs): Service providers typically offer SLAs with leased line services, which define guaranteed levels of uptime, latency, and other performance metrics. SLAs provide assurance to customers regarding the quality of service they can expect.
Cost: Leased lines are more expensive than shared broadband connections because customers are paying for the dedicated, exclusive access. The cost depends on factors such as bandwidth, distance, and the service provider.
Scalability: Leased lines can often be upgraded or downsized to meet changing bandwidth requirements. This flexibility allows businesses to adjust their connectivity as their needs evolve.
How To Get A Leased Line: Step by Step Guide
Getting a leased line involves several steps, and it typically starts with identifying your organization’s needs and requirements. Here’s a general overview of how to get a leased line:
Determine Your Needs:
Assess your organization’s requirements for bandwidth, reliability, and performance. Consider factors such as the number of users, the types of applications you use, and the expected data traffic.
Research Service Providers:
You can find a complete list of companies that offer leased line services above.
Request Quotes:
Contact potential service providers and request quotes for leased line services. You can either do this company by company or use the quote form at the top of this page to compare multiple companies in one go.
Compare Offers:
Compare the quotes and offerings from different providers. Consider factors like bandwidth, pricing, SLAs, and any additional services they offer, such as IP addresses, managed routers, or firewall services.
Site Survey:
The service provider may conduct a site survey to assess the feasibility of providing a leased line to your location. They will determine the best route and equipment needed to establish the connection.
Choose a Provider:
Select a provider that best meets your needs and budget. Review the contract terms and ensure that they align with your expectations and requirements.
Installation:
Once you’ve signed the contract, the provider will start the installation process. This involves setting up the necessary equipment at your premises and establishing the physical connection to their network infrastructure.
Configuration and Testing:
The service provider will configure the leased line and perform tests to ensure that it meets the agreed-upon specifications. They will check for issues like latency, packet loss, and bandwidth consistency.
Service Activation:
After successful testing, the leased line service will be activated, and you can start using it for your organization’s data, voice, or internet needs.
Ongoing Support and Maintenance:
Leased lines often come with ongoing support and maintenance services. Make sure you have a clear understanding of what’s included in the contract and how to contact the provider for assistance or troubleshooting.
Billing and Invoicing:
Understand the billing and invoicing process, including payment terms, invoicing frequency, and any applicable fees or penalties.
Service Level Agreements (SLAs):
If your contract includes SLAs, be sure to monitor the provider’s performance against the agreed-upon metrics and report any service issues promptly to ensure they are addressed in accordance with the SLA.
It’s important to work closely with the chosen service provider to ensure that the leased line meets your organization’s specific needs and expectations. Leased line contracts are typically longer-term commitments, so it’s crucial to choose a provider that can deliver the quality and reliability you require for your business operations.