What is a leased line and how is it different from broadband?

A leased line provides dedicated, uncontended bandwidth exclusively for your business. Unlike broadband, leased lines guarantee symmetrical upload and download speeds with 99.9% uptime SLAs. Fixed leased lines account for over 39% of UK business internet connections.

What is full fibre (FTTP) broadband?

FTTP delivers a fibre optic connection directly to your premises, unlike FTTC which uses copper for the final leg. FTTP coverage has reached 79.5% of UK premises as of Q3 2025. Openreach passed 20 million premises in September 2025 and targets 25 million by December 2026.

Is SD-WAN better than a traditional leased line?

SD-WAN can reduce WAN costs by approximately 50% compared to traditional MPLS. The UK SD-WAN market is projected to grow from $4.8 billion in 2025 to $14.6 billion by 2031. SD-WAN is complementary to — not a replacement for — dedicated leased lines for primary connectivity.

What internet speed does my business actually need?

This depends on your number of users and applications. VoIP requires approximately 100 Kbps per call. Cloud applications and video conferencing need more. The UK average business broadband speed is 131 Mbps, but 20% of UK businesses report insufficient internet speeds for their needs.

Leased Line vs Business Broadband: Which Is Right for Your Business?

A leased line is a dedicated, uncontended connection with guaranteed speeds and an SLA. Business broadband is shared, cheaper, but offers no speed guarantees. The choice depends on how critical reliable connectivity is to your operations.

Key Facts

79.5%of UK premises have full fibre (FTTP) coverage (Q3 2025)

87%of UK premises have gigabit-capable broadband (Ofcom 2025)

20m+premises passed by Openreach FTTP network (September 2025)

92%of UK businesses take 24+ hours to recover from an outage

Last updated: March 2026

Leased Line vs Broadband: Comparison

Feature	Leased Line£200–£600/moRecommended	Business Broadband£25–£80/mo
Guaranteed speeds
Symmetrical upload/download
SLA-backed uptime	99.9%+	Best effort
Uncontended (not shared)
Proactive monitoring
Installation time	30–90 days	5–15 days
Best for VoIP/video		Unreliable

When to Choose Each Option

Choose a Leased Line if...

You run cloud applications, VoIP, video conferencing, or any operation where connectivity downtime has a direct financial cost. If your team cannot work without the internet, you need a leased line.

Choose Business Broadband if...

You have basic connectivity needs, a very small office, or need a low-cost backup connection alongside a leased line.

Cost-Benefit Analysis

A leased line costs £200–£600/month more than business broadband. For a 20-person office losing just one hour of productivity per month to broadband issues (at an average loaded salary of £25/hour), the cost of unreliable broadband is £500/month — already exceeding the leased line premium.

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The AMVIA Recommendation

If your business relies on cloud tools, VoIP, or has more than five regular users, we recommend a leased line. The price gap with business broadband has narrowed significantly — leased lines now start from £200 per month. AMVIA will run a free site survey and provide a fixed quote within 24 hours with no obligation.

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