For an organisation whose operations depend on predictable connectivity. Compare the service-level agreement, resilience and installation cost as well as bandwidth.
The route to your router.
Dedicated Ethernet service · Business bandwidth specified by quote
A simplified illustration of the access connection. The exact equipment and installation route vary by network and property.
What to weigh up.
Where it helps
- Dedicated capacity for the contracted service.
- Typically symmetric bandwidth for cloud and office traffic.
- Business service and repair commitments set out in an SLA.
What to check
- Usually costs substantially more than residential broadband.
- A survey and installation work can affect lead time and charges.
- A second circuit is only resilient if its failure risks are sufficiently independent.
What makes a leased line different?
Residential broadband shares access-network capacity between customers. A dedicated Ethernet service is designed around a business’s contracted bandwidth and service requirements.
A leased line agreement can specify repair targets, availability and service credits. Read the actual SLA: it is not a promise that an outage can never happen.
Build a practical business brief
List your simultaneous users, cloud applications, voice services, upload needs and the cost of downtime. Ask suppliers about committed bandwidth, router management, IP addresses, monitoring and support hours.
London premises can still require surveys, building access, landlord agreement or new construction. Ask for a clear breakdown of installation charges and the assumptions behind the delivery date.
Resilience needs its own design
A second connection is useful only if you understand shared risks such as the building entry, duct route, power supply or upstream provider. Consider a separate network and failover plan for critical operations.
Your questions, answered.
Does a home office need a leased line?
Not automatically. A suitable residential or business full-fibre package may meet the requirement. A leased line is worth assessing when dedicated capacity, upload needs or contractual service commitments justify its cost.
Are leased lines always installed quickly?
No. Surveys, access permissions and construction work can affect the lead time. Get a written quote and installation assumptions for the exact premises.
Sources & further reading
Official information behind this guide. Links checked 29 October 2026; individual datasets retain their stated reference dates.