Business Broadband vs Leased Line: What’s the Difference?
When choosing internet connectivity for your business, the most common question is:
Do we need business broadband — or a leased line?
Both deliver internet access, but they serve very different needs.
Let’s break it down.
What is Business Broadband?
Business broadband (FTTP or SoGEA) is:
- Shared infrastructure
- Fast download speeds
- Lower monthly cost
- Typically asymmetrical (faster download than upload)
It’s ideal for:
- Small to medium businesses
- Offices under 30–40 staff
- Standard cloud usage (365, Google Workspace, VoIP)
- Cost-sensitive environments
You can enhance business broadband with:
- Static IP
- 4G/5G failover
- Router management
- Traffic prioritisation
For many businesses, this is more than enough.
What is a Leased Line?
A leased line is:
- Dedicated fibre
- Symmetrical speeds (e.g. 1Gb up / 1Gb down)
- Guaranteed bandwidth
- Strong SLAs (often 99.9%+ uptime)
It’s designed for:
- High traffic environments
- Multi-site connectivity
- Hosting or cloud-heavy workloads
- Businesses that cannot tolerate downtime
You’re not sharing capacity with neighbours — it’s yours.
Key Differences
| Feature | Business Broadband | Leased Line |
|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure | Shared | Dedicated |
| Upload Speed | Lower | Equal to download |
| SLA | Basic | Enterprise-grade |
| Cost | Lower | Higher |
| Installation | Faster | Longer lead time |
Which Should You Choose?
If uptime and performance are critical, a leased line is the safer choice.
If you’re cost-conscious and don’t rely heavily on large uploads or guaranteed bandwidth, business broadband is usually sufficient.
Many businesses start with broadband — and move to leased lines as they grow.
Need Help Deciding?
Every business is different. The right choice depends on:
- Staff count
- Cloud reliance
- Risk tolerance
- Growth plans
If you’re unsure, we can assess your usage and recommend the cleanest solution.