Upgrading Your Business Broadband: When and Why

The importance of reliable internet connectivity for businesses really cannot be understated. Whether we’re talking about security, the speed of completing sales transactions or simply allowing your employees to work at the fullest of their productivity, having the right broadband matters. 

It’s easy to miss if your broadband starts to fail you. Download and upload speeds become gradually slower, files become increasingly difficult to transfer from A to B, and the quality of your video conferencing calls deteriorates. But what can you do about it, and why might now be a good time to start looking? 

What is Leased Line Broadband?

Leased Line Broadband is a dedicated, fixed-bandwidth internet connection that a single business or organisation exclusively uses. Unlike standard broadband, which shares bandwidth among multiple users in a local area, a leased line directly connects the user’s premises and the internet service provider (ISP). This ensures consistent, high-speed internet access with symmetrical upload and download speeds.

Benefits of Upgrading to Business Leased Lines

Leased lines provide a dedicated connection not shared with other users, ensuring consistent performance and reliability. This is crucial for businesses that rely on uninterrupted internet access. This minimises downtime and ensures that your business can operate smoothly without interruptions, which is essential for maintaining productivity and customer satisfaction.

Upgrading to a business leased broadband line can significantly enhance your operations by providing reliable, high-speed, and secure internet access. This investment can lead to increased productivity, better customer service, and overall improvements to your business performance.

When Should You Upgrade Your Business Broadband?

Upgrading business broadband is an undertaking that can easily slip down your priority list, but what are the signs that you should be making this upgrade? The most obvious one is that your current broadband is becoming inadequate for your current needs. Uploads and downloads that run at a snail’s pace, increased drop-outs and poor quality on video conferencing calls are all signs that it could be time to get something a little faster. 

There are also points in your business's lifespan when it makes sense to start shopping around. Moving premises is the ideal opportunity because it can be combined with all the other jobs needed. Still, it may also be that the growth of your business or an increased demand for your services places a strain on your network, which requires better connections. 

Also, remember that recent changes to how we work may also be factors. The increase in remote and home working means a greater strain on the network, while an increased dependence on other online-only resources may require you to upgrade. 

Leased Line vs Broadband: Key Differences

Leased lines offer significantly higher speeds and greater bandwidth compared to standard broadband. This allows for faster data transfer, which benefits activities such as large file uploads/downloads, video conferencing, and running cloud-based applications. This enhances overall efficiency and productivity by reducing the time required for data-intensive tasks.

Unlike standard broadband, which typically offers higher download speeds than upload speeds, leased lines provide symmetrical speeds. This means that upload and download speeds are the same. This is particularly important for businesses that require high-speed uploads, such as those involved in video production, data backup, and other activities that involve sending large amounts of data.

Leased lines also often have advanced security features, including dedicated firewalls, VPNs, and other protective measures. These features ensure that your data is secure and protected from cyber threats, providing peace of mind by safeguarding sensitive business information and reducing the risk of data breaches.

Choosing the Right Leased Line Provider in the UK

Choosing the right leased line provider is crucial for ensuring your business's reliable and high-speed internet connectivity. Here are some key points to consider:

• Speed and Bandwidth: Ensure the provider offers the speeds you need for upload and download.

• Reliability and Uptime: Look for providers with high uptime guarantees (99.9% or higher).

• Customer Support: 24/7 customer support is essential for resolving issues quickly.

• Scalability: Choose a provider that can grow with your business needs.

• Cost: Compare pricing plans and check for any hidden fees.

• Service Level Agreements (SLAs): Review the SLAs to understand the provider’s commitments to service quality and issue resolution times.

Some of the top Leased Line Providers in the UK include:

• BT: The original UK broadband suppliers are known for their reliability and extensive coverage.

• Virgin Media Business: Offer high-speed options and good customer service, but can be pricey.

• TalkTalk: Competitive pricing for small businesses and a 4-hour fix time if anything goes wrong. 

• Sky Business Broadband: Sky now offers 100Mb and 1Gb services, with over 2800 exchanges enabled across the UK, making it the largest exchange network to offer 1Gb services.

Questions to Ask Potential Providers

• What speeds do you offer, and are they symmetrical?

• What is your uptime guarantee?

• What are your average response and resolution times for support issues?

• Are there any additional costs for installation or maintenance?

• Can you provide references or case studies from similar businesses?

• What is included in your SLAs?

Having a fast and reliable broadband connection is increasingly important for all businesses. Not having one can frustrate your staff and customers and cost you a lot of money. With the speeds at which data can be transferred increasing all the time, upgrading now is the boost your business needs!