Highlights
A leased line can provide your business with a faster internet connection than broadband. But with several options available, how do you choose the right one?
Cost, availability, speeds, support and installation times all play a part in making the most appropriate choice. One might be faster than the others but speed should not be your only consideration.
In this post, we are going to discuss the three types of leased line connection that are available to you. These are fibre to the premises (FTTP), fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) and ethernet first mile (EFM). While cost, availability, speeds and installation times vary between them, they are all capable of providing you with a faster connection than broadband.
By the end of this post, you will feel more confident in choosing a connection that is right for your business. You will be able to consider your budget, timing and demand in order to make a wise investment. Before we go into more detail about the three of these options we will offer you an explanation of what leased lines are and how they work.
What is a Leased Line?
A leased line is a dedicated connection that works on a static bandwidth. Put in other words, you have an uncontended connection. You are not sharing your internet with anybody else as you have a private circuit that directly connects your premises to the internet. This enables your connection to support the day-to-day activities of your business and perform at a reliable speed all of the time.
Talking of speed, your uploads and downloads will be symmetrical on a leased line. Another way of saying this is that you can upload files as quickly as you can download them. With these high speeds and reliability, you are able to use the internet for a great range of tasks, including Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Leased lines also come with low latency, which means websites can be accessed and load at a fast pace.
Having a leased line connection is not the same as using broadband. With the latter, your connection is competing with the activity of lots of other web users. Whatever they are doing will have an impact on the speeds you can access. This can make downloading files a sluggish process during peak time. For businesses, peak time is anytime so a broadband connection simply will not do.
Read more - before moving office, plan your internet connection in advance
Leased Line Comparison: FTTP, FTTC and EFM
With the definition and benefits of a leased line connection all fleshed out, let’s take a closer look at the types of leased lines available. As we said earlier, these are FTTP, FTTC and EFM. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages and there are scenarios where one is more well-equipped than the others.
FTTP
FTTP, also known as a fibre leased line, provides an internet connection directly to your premises from the network supplier using a fibre optic cable. It is usually capable of providing the fastest possible speeds to your business and is completely uncontended. Another reason why it is liked so much by businesses is that it is scalable. They can invest in more bandwidth and overlay other services on the cable when they need to, plus reduce their spending and usage when they do not need as much.
If you work in a large office, a small office or an office of any size where lots of people depend on cloud services, transferring large files and using VoIP to do their jobs, then FTTP is what you need. It will give you enough bandwidth to get everyone online and doing the things they need to do in order to keep your company running. The uncontended factor will mean you are not disrupted by unreliable connectivity in the middle of an important task.
Advantages:
- Speed. With the right bandwidth, you are capable of doing anything over the internet and there will not be any delays.
- Uncontended bandwidth. Your connection is dedicated to your business. It is impossible for disruption to be caused by a user on the outside of your network.
Disadvantages:
- Installation times. FTTP can take between 30 and 90 days to install
- Cost. This is often a barrier that prevents many small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) getting connected as they simply don’t have the budget.
Right now, however, SMBs can apply for a government voucher granting them up to £2,500 towards the cost of a gigabit internet installation with us.
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For many landlords and building managers, the word “wayleave” feels like the responsible route whenever a fibre circuit is being installed on their property. It sounds formal and safe – a neat legal box to tick.
In many cases, however, a wayleave adds unnecessary complexity and delays, frustrates tenants, and can expose landlords to long-term legal risks.
At Vorboss, we’ve connected thousands of office spaces across London without a wayleave, keeping landlords in full control and getting tenants online faster.
What is a wayleave?
A wayleave is a written agreement between a landowner and a telecoms operator. It gives the operator permission to install and keep equipment on private property.
What many people don’t realise is that signing a wayleave also activates “Code rights” under the Electronic Communications Code. These rights go beyond simple permission, they give the operator legal powers to stay on the property indefinitely, access it when needed, and even refuse removal of their equipment in certain situations.
For a typical connection into a commercial building in London, a wayleave can make the fibre installation process slower, more expensive, and limit the landlord’s flexibility long term.
Why a wayleave isn’t required for standard in-building fibre connections
For a standard in-building fibre connection serving a tenant, a wayleave isn’t a legal requirement. Important protections, like building access, fire safety, repairing any damage, and removing equipment, are already covered by the tenant’s lease and usual building rules.
If no wayleave is signed, no Code rights are triggered, meaning the landlord retains full control and the installation exists under a simple, fully revocable licence.
In practice, this gives landlords far more protection and flexibility:
- No legal lock-in – the telecoms operator has no long-term rights to stay or refuse removal.
- Landlords keep full control – equipment can be moved or removed when the building changes.
- Faster fibre installation – no time lost in drafting contracts or solicitor reviews.
- Happier tenants – connections go live quicker; tenants get to move in faster.
By contrast, signing a wayleave and granting Code rights introduces a complex and expensive legal process for any fibre removal or relocation. This can take at least 18 months, plus potential court or tribunal proceedings, making it slower, and far less flexible for the landlord.
Public services across central London are evolving, and the City of London Corporation is leading the way.
Whether you work, live or study in the Square Mile, you’ll soon feel the difference that faster, more dependable connectivity brings.
What is the Future Network Programme?
The City of London Corporation is rolling out the Future Network Programme, a major project to modernise its entire digital infrastructure and bring everything under one unified network.
From offices and schools to iconic green spaces like Hampstead Heath, cultural destinations like the Barbican, and historic markets such as Leadenhall and Old Spitalfields, this upgrade will mean more reliable connectivity across the City’s buildings and public spaces.
It also extends to essential services, including critical sites run by the City of London Police. This enhanced connectivity will support everything from secure communication systems to faster, more resilient networks for emergency operations.
Leading this transformation is Roc Technologies, supported by Juniper Networks and Palo Alto Networks; all powered by the Vorboss fibre network. Together, we’re bringing the City onto a modern digital foundation that’s ready to support its future.
Who the Future Network Programme benefits and how?
The programme is designed for everyone who depends on public services in the Square Mile:
- Students in City-run schools will have fast, reliable connectivity to fully access digital learning tools.
- Public-sector teams will experience smoother hybrid working, better access to online platforms, and more efficient collaboration across locations.
- Residents and visitors will see improvements in public Wi-Fi, digital services, and online access in libraries, community hubs, and other shared spaces.
- The City of London Police will gain a more secure, faster and resilient network that enhances CCTV reliability and enables more effective frontline operations.
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