Connecting through our 56kb modems with the phone line engaged and sitting patiently to download a 1Mb file is something we look at and wonder how we managed? Today internet connectivity options have moved on leaps and bounds, both residential and business connectivity with Ofgem research identifying the average download speed of UK home broadband connections to be 50.4Mb! Business broadband has equally evolved.
The multitude of options available for your business internet connectivity can be overwhelming, so let’s cut through the jargon and give you a quick overview of the types of options available for your business:
Copper Broadband (ADSL)
A big upgrade from the 56k connections we were once used to, however, ADSL is the slowest option for business broadband. The connection between the local telephone exchange and the cabinet and then from the cabinet to your business premises are all copper-based thus posing a limitation on speed and connectivity of up to 24Mb download speed.
Benefits – ADSL is cheap and could be used as a redundancy measure to mitigate any downtime from other broadband connectivity. It is also available at all on-grid properties so accessible to almost everywhere.
Drawback – limited speed
Bonded Broadband
This bonds multiple ADSL broadband connections to provide double the download and upload speed. It is a method used in areas where fibre connectivity is limited, and a single ADSL line doesn’t meet the client’s needs.
Fibre (Fibre to the Cabinet or FFTC)
The connection from the exchange to the cabinet is fibre, thereafter from the cabinet to your premises a standard copper telephone line is used. When people say ‘Fibre’ this is the connection they are typically referring to. The speeds are good and can reach up to 100Mb download.
Benefits – Relatively low monthly cost and like ADSL this is widely available throughout the UK.
Drawback – highly contended, which means there are lots of other people sharing the same connection thus the speed of your connection would fluctuate relative to others usage.
Ultrafast Full Fibre (Fibre to the premises or FTTP)
As the name suggests the connection is fibre from your premises all the way back to the closest street cabinet and then fibre from the cabinet to the exchange. Unliked a leased line, fibre to the premises is a shared connection so your fibre connection will be shared with other buildings in your area, that said it is able to still get an impressive 1,000Mb download speed.
Benefits – as fibre is designed to transport light, the performance and quality of the service are not influenced by the distance, so you get a consistent and reliable connection, and of course, amazing speeds!
Drawbacks – the availability of full-fibre is less than ADSL and FFTC and if it is possible to get to your premises it would be built to order so can be costly.
Leased lines
Leased lines are the fastest of all business broadband connections. The lines are not shared between multiple properties and connect your premises directly to the internet service provider using fibre.
Benefits – as these lines aren’t shared with other users your speed and connection will not be affected at peak times when other users are connected. Can get speeds up to 10Gb download and upload!
Drawback – the installation and ongoing costs of leased lines are significantly higher compared to the other options discussed. That said, the government are offering businesses up to £3,500 grant to cover the costs of installing a gigabit broadband connection, more details on the grant can be found here.
The lead time to get a leased line installed is typically months rather than weeks due to its complexity.
