Why is a leased line crucial for your business internet?
If you are finding yourself frequently experiencing operational downtime resulting from an unstable internet connection, it may be time to upgrade your business internet to a leased line.
With so many businesses utilising the power of cloud-centric technology, it goes without saying that having access to secure, fast internet is more critical than ever. We rely on our internet connectivity to cement continuity in our day-to-day operations and work from innovative cloud-based technology and apps. Our business internet is also a critical component of replying to emails, uploading and downloading important files and if you’ve already implemented VoIP telephony in your office, even answering your phone.
The reality is even the smallest amount of downtime can have a catastrophic effect on productivity and profits – and both large and small businesses alike may be at risk without a secure and reliable internet connection. This is especially relevant if you’ve implemented bandwidth-intensive digital services within your operations.
This is where a leased line comes in. If your business hasn’t made the upgrade yet, you might be wondering why any organisation would seek an alternative to a traditional internet connection – so what is a leased line? And why is it such a crucial component of a modern business’s IT infrastructure?
What is a leased line?
In simple terms, a leased line is a high-capacity fibre connection. It is usually provided by an internet service provider (ISP) such as a professional IT support company. As the name suggests, a leased line is leased exclusively to your business. It also boasts symmetrical upload and download speeds.
A leased line is especially crucial if your business has or would like to introduce bandwidth-hungry digital services such as VoIP telephony into your day-to-day operations. It essentially provides businesses and organisations ample room to maximise their bandwidth as well as maintain control over their security and sensitive data.
Acronyms IT Support’s guide to internet connectivity, VoIP and other crucial services
For more information about internet connectivity and other crucial services for businesses, you can read through our helpful guide. Here you’ll find more information about leased lines, VoIP telephony and more…
- How Can IT Support Services Help Your Business Stay Ahead Of The Tech Curve? – In this modern age, it is vital large and small businesses alike are using the latest digital assets and IT infrastructure to ensure continuity in their day-to-day operations.
- What Is Scalable IT? – Scalable IT solutions are a crucial component of your day-to-day operations due to the ever-changing nature of business.
- The Difference Between Broadband and Leased Line Internet Connectivity – Here at Acronyms, we’re frequently asked what the difference is between broadband and a leased line. After all, which one is best? At the end of the day, it comes down to the specific needs of you and your business.
- What is The Best Internet Connection For A Small Business? – If your organisation is considering upgrading your business internet, you might want to look into implementing a leased line.
- The Advantages of Leased Lines for Small Businesses – Many modern businesses are reliant upon the internet. It goes without saying that few could function efficiently without a stable connection and small businesses are certainly not immune.
- What is VoIP? – With the ISDN and PSTN switch off on the horizon here in the UK, there’s never been a better time to upgrade your outdated hard phones to VoIP. But first, you’re going to need a leased line.
- Is VoIP Reliable? VoIP Reliability And Other VoIP Myths Debunked – Voice Over Internet Protocol, known more commonly as VoIP, is a modern alternative to traditional phone lines. However, its reliability is determined by the reliability of your internet connection.
Do I need a leased line?
If you’re asking yourself why large and small businesses alike are switching over to a leased line, you may want to evaluate your current internet connection. Take a good hard look at your day-to-day operations. Is your current internet connection delivering a level of performance you consider satisfactory? Are you and your employees experiencing frequent downtime as a result of your unstable internet connection, or is the quality of your business internet getting in the way of boosting your productivity and nurturing growth?
If you answered yes to even just one of these questions, you might want to properly evaluate the performance of your current business internet. A leased line is an ideal option for businesses that have:
- A large office with numerous employees using the connection at any one time
- Regular transference of high volumes of data such as offsite backups
- Bandwidth-centric services such as VoIP
- A need for round the clock, stable internet
The benefits of a leased line
In our fast-paced, digital world, most if not all businesses and organisations are wholly reliant on a stable internet connection to get through the day. A leased line gives large and small businesses alike the security of a stable connection, as well as a number of other benefits.
Maximum bandwidth for your workspace
As a leased line is an exclusive fibre connection, you won’t have to share your bandwidth with anybody else. Your business will benefit from 100% of the bandwidth which means a more secure, more reliable internet connection for you and your team. The speed of your internet will also not be affected by ‘peak time’ usage.
Symmetrical download and upload speeds
One of the biggest benefits of a leased line is symmetrical downloading and uploading speeds. This means you and your team will be able to utilise a reliable and secure internet connection that doesn’t slow down or crash during bandwidth-intensive points in your operations. This could be when your data is being backed up offsite, or during an important conference call over your VoIP telephony system.
Ideal for businesses with multiple locations
If your business has multiple locations, or staff who are working remotely, a leased line is ideal. This is because a leased line offers greater capabilities in terms of bandwidth. It will easily be able to cope with increased conference and video calling as well as other types of communication.
Secure
As a leased line operates exclusively on a point a to point b basis, it is a highly secure, private connection. As a leased line is also installed and managed on behalf of a business by an IT service, you will also benefit from the heightened security and proactive support that comes with outsourcing the management of your tech to a professional IT company.
Flexible and scalable
In our modern, fast-paced world where data consumption is increasing at a rapid pace, a leased line is an easily scalable and adaptable digital asset for large and small businesses alike. Unlike a traditional broadband connection, a leased line allows businesses to grow their bandwidth and data usage in correlation with the needs of the organisation.
A reliable leased line also allows a business to implement bandwidth-hungry services that can further nurture growth. Services such as VoIP and offsite backups become more important as an organisation grows, and can be easily implemented if you have a leased line in place.
Service level agreements
Perhaps one of the biggest benefits of implementing a leased line within your business operations is a service level agreement with your provider. When you sign up for a traditional broadband connection, you will share your connection with several other businesses and/or households. You will also have no contractual obligation from your provider for an efficient resolution to any issues that may occur.
This is in contrast to a leased line. Your internet service provider will be contractually obliged to ensure your internet is secure, reliable and quick. This means you will quite literally have a legally binding commitment from your ISP ensuring any disruptions in your day-to-day operations resulting from unstable internet are avoided at all costs. Any downtime that does occur will also be kept to a minimum, with some ISPs promising a resolution in four hours or less.
Stable business internet with Acronyms IT Support
With so many businesses relying on cloud-based technology these days, having access to a secure and fast internet connection is more important than ever. Large and small businesses alike rely on their internet to maintain continuity in our day-to-day operations as well as work from innovative cloud-based technologies and apps, respond to emails, upload and download crucial files and even answer the phone.
If you are finding yourself experiencing frequent downtime as a result of an unstable internet connection, it may be time to upgrade your business internet. A leased line is ideal if you are looking to foster growth and boost productivity within your day-to-day operations and will allow your business to take advantage of maximum bandwidth and symmetrical downloading and uploading speeds, all while cementing business continuity and minimising disruptions.
Since 2003, Acronyms IT Support has assisted large and small businesses alike with their IT infrastructure and digital assets. We provide a variety of different digital solutions including the implementation of a leased line, as well as other services such as VoIP and offsite backups. As an internet service provider, our experienced team can supply a stable and secure internet connection to your business that you can truly rely on.
If you have any questions about implementing a leased line in your day-to-day operations or about any of the other services we have to offer, contact Acronyms IT Support today.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the difference between a leased line and a broadband connection?
Unlike a traditional broadband connection, a leased line is a dedicated connection for you and your business. If you are using an at-home broadband connection or even business broadband within your office or workspace, chances are you are sharing your internet with both your residential and commercial neighbours. Essentially, this means the bandwidth available to you will depend on how many other people are using the connection at the same time. As a result, you may experience reduced internet speed or even a crash during busy periods.
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How much does a leased line cost?
As with other IT support services, the cost of your leased line will come down to the exact specifications of your business and of course, the solutions you actually require. For example, you might want to implement a regular offsite backup and VoIP within your workspace but won’t be able to do so without a leased line. For an accurate quote, it’s best to get in touch with your local IT support service. Their team will be able to evaluate your current digital assets and IT infrastructure and give you a quote based on the specific needs of you and your business.
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How to get a leased line?
In order to get a leased line connection for your business, you will need to contact your local internet service provider (ISP), such as a professional IT support company. A professional IT support service offers a number of proactive services and solutions for large and small businesses alike and can easily implement a leased line within your day-to-day operations.
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What is VoIP?
VoIP, or Voice Over Internet Protocol, is a modern alternative to the traditional office hard phone – and the solution to the ISDN and PSTN switch off here in the UK. Also known as VoIP telephony, it allows businesses to receive and make calls over their internet and as a result, requires a stable internet connection to function correctly. Businesses can opt for a hybrid system of soft and hard phones, although these days many choose an entirely digital system that is accessed through a single interface on a desktop computer or cellular device.
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What business internet is best for VoIP?
A leased line is the most suitable business internet for you and your team. A leased line gives your organisation exclusive access to symmetrical, fibre optic cable, which offers reliable and fast internet regardless of the time of day. It's ideal for businesses with data-centric services such as VoIP telephony and/or fully automated offsite backups. A leased line allows you to transfer enormous volumes of data while still maintaining the speed and stability of your internet connection.
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What is an offsite backup?
An offsite backup is a backup of a company's digital system as well as its vital data and information. It is often stored in a purpose-built environment with specialised IT infrastructure. As the name suggests, this backup is also kept away from a centralised office or work environment for optimal security.