Choosing the Right Broadband for Your Business

Your internet connection is the quiet engine of your business. It powers cloud software, email, phones, payments, file sharing, and customer service. But with so many options and acronyms, choosing the right broadband can feel more complicated than it needs to be.

Here's a plain-English guide to the three main choices in the UK: FTTC, FTTP and Leased Lines - what they actually mean day-to-day, who they're best for, and how to choose with confidence.

The Three Options in Plain English

🧩 FTTC (Fibre to the Cabinet)

Fibre runs to a green street cabinet near you, then the last stretch to your building uses older copper. Think “modern connection with an older final leg.” It's usually the cheapest business option and fast enough for most small teams, but speeds and reliability can vary by distance from the cabinet.

🚀 FTTP (Fibre to the Premises)

Pure fibre all the way to your building. No copper, no compromise. It's faster and more consistent than FTTC and increasingly available across the UK. Great for cloud software, video calls, file syncing and VoIP phones - with fewer slow-downs at busy times.

🛡️ Leased Line (Dedicated Fibre)

Your own private, dedicated fibre connection with guaranteed speeds, rapid fix times and a business-grade Service Level Agreement (SLA). Upload and download speeds are typically the same. It's the gold standard for businesses where downtime costs real money.

Which One Fits Your Business?

Choose FTTC if:

You're a small team using email, web apps and occasional video calls
Budget is tight and a simple, basic connection will do
You don't rely heavily on uploading large files or constant video meetings

Choose FTTP if:

You use cloud tools all day (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, CRMs, cloud storage)
Your team lives on video calls and VoIP phones
You want modern performance and fewer slow-downs at peak times

Choose a Leased Line if:

Internet downtime would halt operations or sales
You run multiple sites, call centres, or mission-critical cloud apps
You need guaranteed speeds, same upload/download, and fast fault fix times

What Actually Matters Day-to-Day

Consistency over headline speed: A stable 100 Mbps that never drops beats a “up to” service that fluctuates.
Upload speed: Important for video calls, cloud backups, sending large files and VoIP quality.
Contention: Shared services (FTTC/FTTP) can slow at busy times; leased lines are dedicated.
SLA and fix times: Ask how quickly faults are fixed and what compensation or guarantees you get.
Router and Wi-Fi: A poor router or weak office Wi-Fi can make any connection feel slow.

Costs and Timelines (Big Picture)

FTTC: Usually the lowest monthly cost; installation typically quick. Good entry-level business connectivity.
FTTP: Mid-range monthly cost for much better performance; installs are usually straightforward where available.
Leased Line: Premium monthly cost with business-grade guarantees; installation can take several weeks and may involve survey work.

⚠️ Don't Forget the Extras

Ask about potential survey charges, excess construction fees, static IPs, and any tie-ins. For critical operations, consider either a 4G/5G backup, or a secondary line, to ensure connectivity if the main line drops.

Using VoIP Phones?

All three options can support VoIP. FTTP and leased lines provide the most consistent call quality, especially for larger teams. If you're on FTTC, a quality router, QoS (traffic prioritisation) and a 4G/5G failover make a big difference.

Questions to Ask Any Provider

What speeds should we realistically expect during busy times?
What are the upload speeds, not just download?
What's the SLA and target fix time if there's a fault?
Are there any survey, install or excess construction fees?
How long is the contract and are prices fixed?
Can you provide a static IP address if we need one?
Do you offer automatic 4G/5G failover?

Quick Decision Guide

Small office, light cloud use, budget-conscious: Start with FTTC.
Growing team, all-day cloud tools, lots of calls/video: Choose FTTP.
Always-on operations, high stakes, guaranteed performance: Go leased line.

The Bottom Line

Choose the connection that matches how your business actually works - not just the biggest number on a brochure. If you mainly need reliable email and web access, FTTC is fine. If your business lives in the cloud, FTTP keeps everything smooth. If downtime isn't an option, a leased line pays for itself through guaranteed performance and fast fixes.

Unsure which way to go? We can review your usage, growth plans and location availability, then recommend the right option - with clear pricing, realistic timelines and sensible backup plans.