Written by Lucas Pistilli Reviewed by Heleana Neil Updated on 30 January 2023 On this page Types of internet connection Leased lines Types of leased lines Fibre to the premises (FTTP) Hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC) Gfast Fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) Asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) Leased lines vs FTTP Leased lines vs FTTC Difference between leased lines and ADSL Difference between leased lines and dedicated internet Which type of internet connection is right for my business? Types of internet connection FAQs Expand If loading this (or any other) page takes too long, you should be considering leased lines as a way to amp up your business’ internet power.In this article, we’ve compared this type of internet connection against other popular options to help you make the right choice.However, if you’re already set on getting leased lines, we can help you save money by comparing quotes. Just fill in our free comparison tool – it only takes a minute! The different types of internet connectionsInternet connection typeLeased linesFibre to the premises (FTTP)Hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC)GfastFibre to the cabinet (FTTC)Asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL)Maximum speed10Gbps2Gbps500Mbps350Mbps80Mbps24MbpsAverage price£500/month£45/month£45/month£40/month£25/month£22/monthProsDedicated internetUltrafast sppeedFast speedNot dependant on copperFaster than traditional FTTCCable is better insulated then FTTCFaster than traditional FTTCCopper used in it is technologically-enhancedAvailable in 86% of UK addressesFast set-up processCheapCost-effective for largely offline businessesConsPriceyLong set-up processUndedicated internetOnly available in 47% of UK addressesUndedicated internetNot cost-effective compared to FTTPUndedicated internetLimited by distance to cabinetUndedicated internetSppeed not guaranteed by SLAUndedicated internetFully dependent on copper Only thing faster than a leased line is our free quote tool… Try it out! Leased linesA leased line is a premium telecommunications service that gives you an uncontended, symmetric, wide bandwidth internet connection.In plain English, this means a fast and private network, in which the download and upload speeds are the same.The difference is substantial. The standard broadband speed in UK households is 59Mbps for downloads and 10Mbps for uploads, according to Ofcom. On the other hand, a leased line can get both up to 10Gbps. Its average cost is around £500 per month, based on your business’ requirements. Tip To give you a bit more insight, we’ve actually compared the best leased line providers in the UK, putting them side to side in terms of features, speed and price. If you’re sold on leased lines but want to know more about what’s on offer in the market, feel free to check our article! Types of leased linesThere are three types of leased lines: Ethernet over Fibre to the Cabinet (EoFTTC), Ethernet First Mile (EFM), and Ethernet Access Direct (EAD).We know you’re not here to get the hard science behind them, but the gist is that they vary in their use of copper and fibre to connect your business to the main network.One thing directly affected by this? Speed. While EoFTTC and EFM can only reach maximum download speeds of 20Mbps, EAD can give you the full breadth of a 10Gbps download speed.However, they all are forms of uncontended internet so whatever speed is agreed in your contract, it’ll be guaranteed by a service level agreement (SLA). Did You Know? All cabled internet services depend on two sets of connections: one from the communications exchange to your local cabinet; the other from that cabinet to your address. Fibre to the premises (FTTP)Fibre to the premises (FTTP) uses fibre cables all the way from the exchange to your premises.This is currently the best and fastest undedicated internet available, with download speeds able to reach 2Gbps. Its cost averages between £30 and £60 per month.While the full-on fibre gives this service a steadier bandwidth than FTTC or ADSL, it’s still affected by user base activity.This means that, if everyone sharing this network with you decides to watch the latest streaming hit at the same time, your speed will decrease. Hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC)Hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC) uses both fibre and coaxial (aka TV aerial) cables to connect you to the internet.The former is used from the exchange to the cabinet, while the latter is used from the cabinet to your premises.As the coaxial cable is better insulated than the traditional copper one, download speeds can reach 500Mbps. Its price also varies between £30 and £60 per month. Watch out! It’s worth considering the amount of copper involved in your internet set up. Unlike fibre, copper loses data transmission capacity over distance. In a copper connection, the further you are from the data source (be it the exchange or the cabinet), the slower your internet speed is. GfastGfast uses fibre from the exchange to the cabinet and then a technologically-enhanced copper cable to your premises.This set up allows it to deliver download speeds up to 350Mbps. Its price also varies between £30 and £50 per month.While faster than fibre to the cabinet (FTTC), it’s restricted to properties located within 500m of the closest cabinet because further distances cause the copper to lose transmission capacity. Fibre to the cabinet (FTTC)Like HFC and Gfast (which are updated versions of this service), FTTC uses fibre cables from the exchange to the cabinet, and traditional copper cables from there to your premises. Its average cost falls between £19 and £30 per month.It can provide download speeds up to 80Mbps, but there’s a catch: it depends on traditional copper cables, which means your internet is unlikely to reach those speeds if you’re located far from the cabinet. Asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL)Asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) is the standard broadband used in the UK, and the oldest of its kind that is still widely used. Its average cost falls between £18 and £25 per month.Copper is used all the way from the exchange to your premises. Accordingly, it’s the slowest broadband service. Its most advanced iteration (ADSL2+) only reaches a 24Mbps download speed. Considering the other options, do you need leased lines? If so… Get free quotes Leased lines vs FTTPYou get uncontended internet with leased lines, while you’d have to share your FTTP network, causing the internet speed to ebb and flow.However, leased lines are pricier than FTTP, so businesses that are not dependent on the internet, FTTP is a cost-effective option. Leased lines vs FTTCSpeed-wise, leased lines beat FTTC with ease. The former can reach 10Gbps, while the latter only reaches 80Mbps.Leased lines are also faster than Gfast and HFC, which are variations of the FTTC model, as they only reach 500Mbps and 350Mbps, respectively.That said, you can access FTTC way quicker because it runs on shared cables. You can get it set up in one to three working days, depending on your provider. Leased lines can take anywhere between 15 and 75 working days to be installed. Difference between leased lines and ADSLLeased line connections are dedicated and symmetrical – meaning they are exclusive and their download and upload speeds are the same. They also use fibre in their structure, which means speed is not affected by distance to the cabinet.ADSL, on the other hand, provides undedicated, asymmetrical connection, with higher download speeds than upload speeds. Also, it doesn’t use fibre, which compromises speed. Difference between leased lines and dedicated internetLeased lines and dedicated internet are the same thing. As the terminology around leased lines (and internet connection in general) is a thorny affair, we know synonyms can get confusing! The other connection types we cover in this article are forms of undedicated internet. Which type of internet connection is right for my business?You’ll need to consider several factors before you choose the internet connection that’s right for your business.BudgetThe first is budget because prices vary greatly. Leased lines average £500 per month, whereas you can set an ADSL connection up for as little as £18 per month.Specific needsThe second is specific needs. Leased lines are best suited to serve businesses that require heavy data uploads, such as printing, publishing and video making. They can also benefit those that are heavily reliant on the use of software as a service (SaaS) or cloud-based applications.Undedicated internet services, such as FTTC or ADSL, are perfectly equipped to the needs of largely offline businesses, such as coffee shops or hairdressers.If your business can remain operational, even through unstable connection, you can avoid shelling out for a dedicated internet service.Business sizeFinally, you should also consider your business’ size. Leased lines are ideal to connect multiple locations of a big business, creating a private network that unites various offices or shops.If you own a small or medium-sized business, an undedicated internet service can fit the bill if you only have one location.However, we stress that, if your activity is very internet-dependent, you should consider investing in a leased line regardless of your size.To find the best leased line provider, give our free comparison tool a try. Just fill in our super quick form and you will receive custom quotes in no time! Now that you've seen how it compares to other internet connection types... Do you need a leased line for your business? Yes No Types of internet connection FAQs Why are leased lines better? Leased lines are better forms of internet connection because they provide you with an uncontended, symmetrical, wide bandwidth network. Are leased lines worth it? If your business relies heavily on the internet, leased lines are worth it. Speeds are way higher than average and guaranteed by a SLA. How much do leased lines cost? Its average cost is around £500 per month, based on your business’ requirements. Does my business need a leased line? If your business is small and largely offline, you don’t need a leased line because its high price tag won’t make it cost-effective for you What’s the difference between ADSL and broadband? Broadband is any type of wide bandwidth internet connection. ADSL is a type of broadband. What’s the difference between leased line and dedicated internet? Leased line and dedicated internet are actually the same thing. Both terms refer to a private internet connection. Written by: Lucas Pistilli Business Services Expert Lucas is a Brazilian-born journalist and Expert Market’s go-to writer for all things EPOS systems, merchant accounts, and franking machines. Having covered business, politics and technology for many years, he’s driven by his passion for the written word and his goal to help people make well-informed decisions. Reviewed by: Heleana Neil Business Services Editor Heleana Neil specialises in Business Services, managing the strategy and production of content for SMBs, helping businesses with the challenges and opportunities they face today. Covering everything from payroll to payment processing, Heleana uses her expertise to help business owners make better, informed decisions and grow their companies.