Leased line vs FTTP: what’s the difference?

What is a leased line?

A leased line, also known as Dedicated Internet Access (DIA), is a private, high-speed connection between your business and the internet. Unlike business broadband, a leased line is:

• Uncontended: You don’t share your bandwidth with other users, so you don’t suffer from slowdowns at peak times.
• Symmetric: Download and upload speeds are identical, ensuring a smooth connection for real-time applications.
• Reliable: Leased lines are backed by robust service level agreements (SLAs), guaranteeing uptime and rapid fault resolution.

This makes them ideal for businesses that rely on cloud applications, VoIP, large data transfers, or any organisation needing fast, reliable connectivity.

What is FTTP?

Fibre to the Premises (FTTP), also known as “full fibre”, is a high-speed broadband connection that runs a fibre optic cable all the way to your premises. Unlike standard broadband (Fibre to the Cabinet or FTTC), which uses copper wiring between the street cabinet and your building, FTTP’s full fibre connection delivers faster speeds and lower latency.

However, unlike a leased line, FTTP is a contended connection. Your bandwidth is shared with other customers, which can slow down your connection at peak times. In addition, speeds are typically asymmetric, with download speeds significantly higher than upload speeds.

FTTP also lacks the strict SLAs and dedicated support a leased line offers, making it less reliable. But its lower cost can make it a viable option for small businesses or those that can tolerate occasional fluctuations in network performance.

Leased line vs FTTP: what’s the difference?

When choosing between a leased line and FTTP, you need to consider factors like speed, reliability and cost. Here’s a breakdown of the main differences to help you decide.

Leased line vs FTTP: 8 key differences

FTTP vs leased line: which is right for your business?

Choosing between FTTP and a leased line depends on your business size, internet usage and budget. If you need guaranteed performance, symmetric speeds and maximum reliability, a leased line is the obvious choice. It’s ideal for larger businesses, data-intensive industries or organisations needing reliable, high-speed internet for real-time applications.

On the other hand, FTTP offers a cost-effective connection for smaller businesses that can tolerate some variability in speeds and uptime. While considerably faster than standard broadband (FTTC), it lacks the dedicated bandwidth and strict SLAs of a leased line.

Ultimately, the right option depends on how critical speed, reliability and support are to your operations. If you’re a smaller outfit and cost is your main priority, FTTP could be enough. But if network downtime or congestion could impact your productivity, reputation or bottom line, a leased line may be well worth the investment.

Leased line options

If you’re considering a leased line for your business, we can help. At Neos Networks, we deliver high-performance Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) leased lines to organisations of all sizes across the UK.

Learn more about DIA leased line services, including “wires-only” and fully managed options.

Or get a quick quote with LIVEQUOTE, our online pricing and ordering tool.