If you find yourself experiencing frequent operational downtime as a result of an unstable Internet connection, it may be time to upgrade your Internet to a BT leased line support

With so many businesses harnessing the power of cloud-centric technology, it goes without saying that having access to secure, fast internet is more important than ever. We rely on our internet connectivity to strengthen continuity in our day-to-day operations and work from innovative cloud-based technology and apps. Our business internet is an important part of answering emails, uploading and downloading important files and if you have already implemented VoIP telephony in your office, even answering your phone.

The reality is that even the smallest amount of downtime can have a devastating impact on productivity and profits – and businesses both large and small can be at risk without a secure and reliable Internet connection. This is particularly relevant if you have implemented bandwidth-intensive digital services within your operations.

This is where a leased line comes in. If your business hasn't upgraded yet, you may be wondering why any organization would look for an alternative to a traditional Internet connection - so what is a leased line? And why is it such an important part of a modern business's IT infrastructure?

What is a leased line?

In simple terms, a leased line is a high-capacity fiber connection. This is usually provided by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) such as a professional IT support company. As the name suggests, a leased line is leased exclusively for your business. It also boasts symmetrical upload and download speeds.

A leased line is especially important if your business has or wants to incorporate bandwidth-hungry digital services such as VoIP telephony into your daily operations. This essentially gives businesses and organizations ample room to maximize their bandwidth while maintaining their security and control over sensitive data.

A brief IT support guide to Internet connectivity, VoIP and other important services

For more information on internet connectivity and other important services for businesses, you can read our helpful guide. Here you will find more information about leased lines, VoIP telephony and more...

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• Difference Between Broadband and Leased Line Internet Connectivity – Here at Acronyms, we are often asked what the difference is between broadband and leased line. After all, which one is the best? At the end of the day, it comes down to you and the specific needs of your business.

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• What is VoIP? - With the switch off the horizon to ISDN and PSTN here in the UK, there's never been a better time to upgrade your old hard phones to VoIP. But first, you'll need a leased line.

• Is VoIP reliable? VoIP Reliability and Other VoIP Myths Busted - Voice over Internet Protocol, commonly known as VoIP, is a modern alternative to traditional phone lines. However, its reliability is determined by the reliability of your internet connection.

Do I need a leased line?

If you're asking yourself why businesses large and small alike are switching to a leased line, you may want to evaluate your current Internet connection. Take a good hard look at your daily routine. Is your current Internet connection providing a level of performance that you consider satisfactory? Are you and your employees experiencing frequent downtime as a result of your unstable Internet connection, or is the quality of your business Internet getting in the way of your productivity and growth?

If you answered yes to only one of these questions, you may want to properly evaluate the performance of your current business Internet. A leased line is an ideal choice for businesses that have:

• A large office with many employees using the connection at any time

• Regular transfer of high volumes of data such as offsite backups

• Bandwidth-intensive services such as VoIP

• 24 hours, stable internet required

Benefits of leased line

In our fast-paced, digital world, most if not all businesses and organizations are completely dependent on a stable Internet connection to get through the day. A leased line offers businesses large and small the security of a stable connection as well as many other benefits.

Maximum bandwidth for your workspace

As a leased line is a dedicated fiber connection, you won't need to share your bandwidth with anyone else. Your business will benefit from 100% of the bandwidth, which means a safer, more reliable Internet connection for you and your team. Your internet speed will not be affected by 'peak time' usage either.

Symmetric download and upload speeds

One of the biggest benefits of a leased line is the consistent downloading and uploading speed. This means you and your team will be able to use a reliable and secure Internet connection that doesn't slow down or crash during bandwidth-intensive points in your operations. This can happen while your data is being backed up offsite, or during an important conference call on your VoIP telephony system.

Ideal for businesses with multiple locations

If your business has multiple locations, or staff who are working remotely, a leased line is ideal. This is because a leased line offers more capabilities in terms of bandwidth. It will be able to easily cope with extended conference and video calling as well as other forms of communication.

safe

As a leased line operates exclusively on a point a to point b basis, it is a highly secure, private connection. As a leased line is also installed and managed on behalf of a business by an IT service, you will also benefit from the high security and proactive support that comes with outsourcing the management of your technology to a professional IT company.

Flexible and scalable

In our modern, fast-paced world where data consumption is growing at a rapid pace, a leased line is an easily scalable and adaptable digital asset for businesses large and small. Unlike a traditional broadband connection, a leased line allows businesses to increase their bandwidth and data usage relative to the needs of the organization.

A reliable leased line allows a business to implement bandwidth-hungry services that can drive growth. Services like VoIP and offsite backup become more important as an organization grows, and can be easily implemented if you have a leased line.

Service level agreements

Perhaps the biggest benefit of implementing a leased line within your BT leased line support operations is the service level agreement with your provider. When you sign up for a traditional broadband connection, you'll be sharing your connection with several other businesses and/or households. You will also have no contractual obligation to your provider for efficient resolution of any problem.

This is the opposite of a leased line. Your internet service provider is contractually bound to ensure that your internet is secure, reliable and fast. This means that you will have a legally binding commitment from your ISP that will ensure that any disruption to your day-to-day operations as a result of unstable internet is avoided at all costs. Any downtime that occurs will also be kept to a minimum, with some ISPs promising to resolve in four hours or less.