leased lines and fttc, what is it?
You might be asking how leased lines and fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) broadband connections vary. We've put together a comparison of FTTC and leased lines so you can see the respective benefits and drawbacks of each.
What is a leased line?
A leased line is a dedicated, fixed-bandwidth data connection that allows organisations to have a reliable, high-quality internet connection with speeds up to 10Gbps. A leased line assures upload and download speed, uptime, and resilience despite its high cost. A dedicated leased line will be a perfect option for you to secure business continuity and avoid downtime.
FTTC
Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC) refers to the process of running fibre optic cables from a distribution point to street cabinets, where they are connected to a regular phone line to deliver broadband. Fibre to the cabinet can deliver upload speeds of up to 80 Mbps and download speeds of up to 20 Mbps - tempting to companies looking for a low-latency, fail-safe internet connection to support commercial expansion.
FTTP
FTTP (Fibre to the Premises) connects your premises to the distribution point via fibre optic connections. There is no interference or risk of copper degradation because this is a full-fibre solution - a popular choice for those in FTTP-enabled locations as it offers faster speeds than fibre to the cabinet.
ADSL
Asymmetric digital subscriber line, or ADSL, is a broadband connection that uses telephone lines to deliver data from your supplier to your company. Even though ADSL is an excellent entry-level internet connection, customers typically choose it because they need essential internet functions like email and web browsing.
Leased lines and Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) broadband have numerous important differences…
STRUCTURE
A combination of copper and fibre lines is used in FTTC. On the other hand, Internet Leased Lines are made up of a full-fibre line. As previously stated, FTTC connects the exchange point to your local roadside cabinet, which subsequently connects to your home. In contrast, Internet Leased Lines are delivered directly from the exchange point to your location.
SPEED
The highest speed of FTTC is 80Mbps. The maximum speed of a leased line can range from 10Mbps to 10 Gigabits per second; you can choose whichever speed you want. As you're the only one on the line, leased line speeds are assured; in contrast, as you share the line, FTTC speeds are not guaranteed. The FTTC speed your business receives is highly dependent on the distance between your office and the cabinet that provides the service for you. The further away from the cabinet, the lower the bandwidth, the closer you are, the faster your line will be.
COST
Leased lines cost a lot more than FTTC. Hundreds of pounds per month compared to tens of pounds for broadband. That's because you're getting a lot more in return for the extra money. In addition, the cost of leased lines is determined by the distance between you and your local exchange, the speed you choose, and any additional building costs.
AVAILABILITY
95 per cent of the UK has access to FTTC. Internet Leased Lines are available to everyone in the UK; the only question is whether you can afford it. The more rural you are, the more expensive it is.
Scalability
You can nearly always increase your leased line if it is too slow, often up to 10Gbps (or sometimes even 100Gbps, though this is an infrequent requirement just used by internet service providers or firms with giant offices). FTTC broadband, in contrast, tends not to be upgradable, as you're usually at the limits of what FTTC can provide. Leased lines at the office premises with people connecting remotely gives you more bandwidth and scalability - especially in the modern-day of hybrid working.
QUALITY
Leased lines tend to have less delay (latency), absolute variation in delay (jitter) and data loss (packet loss) than FTTC broadband connections. The latter adversely affects the electrical interference in the network closest to you, where FTTC sends signals over copper wires.
OUTAGES
In general, leased line providers provide their users advance notice of any engineering work that may result in connectivity loss. However, FTTC broadband providers, on the whole, don't usually provide such information.
It's difficult to imagine a professional business nowadays that doesn't require a fast and dependable internet connection. Logicle IT works with various internet service providers to guarantee you get the best price and business solutions available. Access speeds are critical for providing a smooth and effective service if you're looking into the cloud or working remotely.