Dedicated Internet Access (DIA)
Private, high-speed internet for your business
What is a leased line?
A leased line is a dedicated, fixed-bandwidth internet connection businesses rent from a telecom provider to ensure reliable, high-speed access to data. Unlike standard broadband connections, which are shared among multiple users, a leased line is a private connection, so your business has exclusive access to the bandwidth.
A leased line can connect any two locations. However, the term “leased line” usually refers to a point-to-point business internet connection, also known as Dedicated Internet Access or DIA. Here we explain how a DIA leased line works and how it can benefit your business.
How does a leased line work?
A leased line is a direct, private connection between your local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN) and your telecom provider, giving your business access to the internet.
Leased line
Typically, a leased line uses technologies like fibre optic connectivity and Ethernet to deliver high-speed access to data and low latency. Because bandwidth is dedicated exclusively to your use, your connection is unaffected by network congestion, and your actual bandwidth to the internet is guaranteed.
In addition, leased lines are synchronous, meaning they provide equal upload and download speeds. This symmetrical bandwidth makes them ideal for supporting business-critical operations like connecting remote offices, VoIP, video conferencing and cloud-based services.
What are the benefits of a leased line for your business?
Leased lines offer various advantages that can significantly enhance your business operations. Here are some key benefits.
High speed
As leased lines have fixed bandwidth, you get consistent high-speed internet access even during peak usage periods. Their symmetrical upload/download speeds ensure seamless performance for real-time applications.
Reliability
The best leased line services have strict Service Level Agreements (SLAs) guaranteeing minimum performance levels. In addition, your network service provider should operate a resilient core network.
Scalability
Leased lines are usually highly scalable, allowing you to adjust bandwidth easily. Good leased line providers allow you to gradually increment bandwidth as you grow, typically from 10Mbps to 10Gbps.
Security
As you don’t share bandwidth with other customers, you have more certainty over the availability of your internet access. In addition, you can order diverse circuits to protect your vital business sites from fibre breaks in the “last mile” connectivity.
Support
Maintaining uptime is essential for your business operations, and leased line providers should constantly monitor your connection. The best providers provide 24/7 customer service, proactively fix issues and guarantee fault repair times, minimising service disruption.
For example, with Neos Networks DIA, you have full control over your leased line, allowing your IT team to configure and manage your network as needed. Alternatively, our Managed DIA service includes full network management and 24/7 monitoring and technical support – ideal if you have limited IT resources.
Whichever option you choose, a leased line provides a fast, reliable service for your business-critical operations, ensuring your staff and customers get the best user experience.
Leased line vs broadband
A leased line, or Dedicated Internet Access, gives you much more than a standard business broadband service. Here’s a summary of how they differ:
Leased line vs broadband
| Leased line | Broadband | |
| Connection type | Uncontended point-to-point connection | Contended line sharing bandwidth with multiple users |
| Bandwidth | Symmetrical guaranteed upload/download bandwidth up to 10Gbps, depending on the package | Asymmetrical upload/download bandwidth up to 1Gbps/220Mbps, depending on the package and available bandwidth |
| Reliability | SLAs ensure maximum uptime and quick fault resolution | Support is typically on a “best endeavours” basis, often with less reliable copper-based connections |
| Cost | Requires installing and maintaining, so it’s more expensive | Runs on existing fibre infrastructure, so it’s cheaper |
| Time to deploy | 30-90 days | 7-14 days |
| Best for | Larger organisations requiring consistent, high-speed connectivity or those with critical online operations | Smaller organisations or those that can tolerate fluctuations in network performance |
Learn more about how DIA vs business broadband
Who is a leased line suitable for?
Leased lines are ideal for businesses that depend on reliable, high-performance internet connectivity to support critical operations. Examples include:
- Medium to large enterprises: Larger businesses rely on leased lines to support critical operations across dispersed sites, including data sharing, collaboration tools and other cloud-based services.
- Businesses relying on cloud services: As more businesses move to the cloud, a leased line delivers guaranteed bandwidth and low latency for collaboration tools, video conferencing and data backups.
- Data-intensive industries: Leased lines provide the bandwidth and security for sectors processing high data volumes, such as media, manufacturing, health care and financial services.
- Government agencies: Leased lines can ensure reliable internet connectivity for local and national governments to deliver essential services.
- Education and research: Schools, colleges and universities use leased lines to communicate with students and staff and share data between institutions.
- E-commerce: A leased line can provide reliable internet connectivity for online retailers to run their websites, manage customer accounts and ensure a consistent user experience for their customers.
Ultimately, whether your business needs a leased line depends on your needs and budget.
Is a leased line worth it for your business?
Do you have more than ten people in your business? Do you rely on cloud services for critical operations? Are you in a data-intensive industry where a reliable, high-bandwidth internet connection is essential? Do you need stringent SLAs to ensure maximum uptime?
If so, a leased line could be a cost-effective solution. While it may cost more than broadband, the long-term benefits can easily outweigh the investment. If you have multiple remote offices, a leased line provides fast, reliable connectivity across your sites.
Leased line solutions
There are many leased line providers, and choosing the right one involves more than just comparing costs. Consider factors like network reach and infrastructure, bandwidth and scalability options, reliability and uptime SLAs and the quality of their customer support. Most importantly, can you trust them to deliver?
At Neos Networks, organisations across the UK rely on us to support their critical operations with Dedicated Internet Access (DIA), featuring:
- Scalable bandwidth from 10Mbps to 10Gbps
- High availability core network with 600+ PoPs and 90+ on-net data centres nationwide
- Stringent uptime SLAs and 24/7 technical support
- A choice of last-mile connectivity providers and resiliency options
- Competitive pricing and quick quotes online with LIVEQUOTE, our online pricing and ordering tool
Choose between “wires only” DIA, where you have complete control over your connection, or Managed DIA (MDIA), protected by 24/7 monitoring from our network operations centre.
Dedicated Internet Access (DIA)
Private, high-speed internet for your business
Get a DIA quote in a few clicks with LIVEQUOTE.
Get a DIA quote
Or if you want to discuss your options, get in touch. We’ll be happy to make a DIA leased line work for your business.
