The importance of internet connectivity to businesses of all sizes has never been higher. In the not too distant past, a company’s primary reason for having an internet connection was to carry out fairly basic activities such as email, web browsing, and maybe some point-of-sale transactions.

The rise of cloud computing and web-based applications mean that for many companies, their entire operation requires internet access to run efficiently. In a recent survey conducted by cloud management expert Rightscale, 95% of respondents were using cloud computing within their business to some degree.

With dedicated, high-bandwidth connectivity becoming more affordable, now could be the time to see if your business could benefit from a faster and more reliable service.

The Advantages of an Uncontended Service

For many businesses, traditional services, such as ADSL broadband may no longer be a suitable option; speeds can falter during busy periods and no guaranteed timescales are provided for fixing faults. Business-grade options such as Ethernet in the First Mile (EFM) or Leased Lines provide a much faster and more reliable connection.

Both EFM and Leased Lines are dedicated and uncontended services, meaning you’re not sharing your connection with other users. Because of this, you receive a guaranteed speed which is symmetrical for uploads and downloads.

Because both products are specifically designed for business users, they also come backed with comprehensive Service Level Agreements. This gives you the peace of mind that any issues with the service will be fixed within an agreed timescale.

While EFM and Leased Lines have some things in common, there are a few key differences as detailed in the table below:

EFM Leased Lines
  • Copper lines
  • Identical upload and download speeds available, from 2MB to 35MB
  • Not scalable – chosen bandwidth cannot be changed
  • Faster to install than leased lines
  • External internet connections only

 

  
  • Fibre optic lines
  • Identical upload and download speeds available up to 10GB
  • Scalable – bandwidth can be increased as your business grows
  • Takes longer to install, but can be tailored to your exact needs
  • Point to point connections are available to link two sites, as well as external internet connections

Why Leased Lines Offer Unbeatable Connectivity

Leased Lines use dedicated fibre optic cable, and are more reliable and secure than traditional copper, particularly over long distances. Leased Lines are perfect for businesses that use cloud infrastructure, web-based applications, video conferencing, or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), which require fast, uninterrupted internet access.

Leased Lines can either connect your building directly to the internet or be used to form a private link between two sites within a 25km radius. Known as a Point 2 Point connection, this allows users at each location to access and share files and resources without the need to break out to the internet.

They are easily scalable which allows you to pay only for the bandwidth you need right now and increase as your business grows. Leased Lines are also supported by our strictest Service Level Agreement to minimise downtime and guarantee a great connection.

For added resilience, a backup Leased Line can be routed via a different exchange to act as a failover if the primary circuit were to go down.

Our team will be happy to talk you through the full range of business-grade connectivity services available in your area. We work with all of the major UK connectivity providers to offer you competitively priced solutions to suit your business needs.

FREE Communications Audit

At Air IT, we specialise in helping our clients find the right connectivity solution to suits their business requirements.

For a review of your broadband speeds, costs and usage levels, why not take advantage of one of our FREE communications audits? Give us a call on 0115 880 0044 and we will be happy to see how we can help. Alternatively, find out more about our IT consulting services, and project delivery service, or for the latest industry news, head on over to our blog.