Fiber Broadband or Leased Line: What Would Be Your Preference Before The Year Is Out?
A fairly timely issue indeed (in the middle of December 2017), when Broadband Speeds [Fiber Broadband] are rapidly rising, while Leased Line costs are palpably waning. Does this indicate a win-win scenario or a debacle that makes you hesitant about taking the right decision? Under normal circumstances, it shouldn’t, but there again, circumstances oftentimes rule the roost. However, before delving deeper into the topic, it might be a better idea to know precisely what is what.
What is a Leased Line?
A Leased Line is a bidirectional or symmetric telecommunication line or circuit provided between two or more locations in exchange for a monthly rent. Characteristically, leased lines are used by businesses for connecting geographically distant offices or departments and unlike dial-up connections, are always active. Since the circuit or the connection does not carry any third party’s communication, its quality remains undisturbed.
An Internet Leased Line may be considered as a premium connectivity product, usually delivered over fiber, thus providing uncontended symmetrical speed with full duplex. Also known as Ethernet leased line, dedicated line, data circuit or private line, a leased line is considered the pinnacle of Internet connectivity.
Price of a Leased Line
Despite all the hullabaloo consisting rapidly falling price of leased line, make no mistake that a leased line still costs more than a broadband, while there are ample reasons for that higher rate. For instance, with broadband, the 80 Mbps ‘up to’ speed provides no guarantee that it will remain the same all the while. At best, it is an estimated speed you are likely to receive at the ‘best possible time’, indirectly suggesting that peak times can have substantial impact on the bandwidth speed.
But with Leased Line, it’s an entirely different picture where your 50 Mbps remains 50 Mbps all the while. The very word ‘uncontended’, mentioned earlier signifies that that the speed is not affected by excessive usage during peak times. Besides, being an Ethernet solution, upload speeds and download speeds always remains the same. However, the pricing of a Leased Line also depends on some of the factors outlined below.
Location
Substantial part of a Leased Line is determined by the distance between the client’s site or premises and that of the service provider, usually called POP or Point of Presence. More the distance, higher will be the installation charge, due mostly to sundry structural and other works required to provide the service.
Lesser the more
More service providers mean keener competition, resulting in lower cost, while the opposite is equally true. In other words, if you are located in a remote area, there will be lesser competition and the result will be more charges.
Bandwidth
Evidently, higher bandwidth equates to higher price range. But that does not mean that you go for the highest bandwidth which may not be necessary for you. Nevertheless, take a good look at what range and price providers offer and then go for one that suits your purpose.
Incidentally, we were so engrossed with Leased Line that topic related to Fiber Broadband seems to have been thoroughly overlooked.
What is Fiber (Fibre) Broadband and how it may help you access the Internet?
Cutting short a long story about fiber broadband or Fiber optic broadband, it may suffice to say that it promises super-fast speeds, taking adequate care of all your internet needs. Since the connection is provided through fibre-optic cables (plastic or specially treated glass cable) it allows for faster data transfer as opposed to customary copper cables. Fibre broadband is considered as the latest development in terms of contemporary broadband technology, while the process of upgrading from standard ADSL has also become quite easy.
Which one to choose?
Leased lines are usually chosen by businesses to connect geographically distant offices or departments for better connectivity. Also unlike dial-up connections, Leased Lines remain always active. Moreover the fee for a connection is fixed at a monthly rate. The basic issues affecting the monthly fee are distance between end points and the speed of the circuit.
However, it has some restrictions, such as very long distances and remoteness, when a leased line may not prove to be the right answer.
Fiber optic, on the other hand, does not have such limitations and so may prove ideal for many.
