At ICT Professionals, we take into account your requirements and what technology is available in the area to provide you with a service that is suitable for your business.
We’ve put together this handy breakdown for those of you that wish to understand the ins and outs a little more…
Broadband Background
ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line) used to be the most popular way to connect to the internet. It worked in conjunction with the telephone system to transmit data.
However, the ever-increasing demand for internet means that this old technology is no longer sufficient and is soon being turned off.
The old copper network won’t work from early 2027. It will be completely replaced with fibre; the new technology providing higher speeds and increased reliability.
You can see the different types of broadband outlined below.
Diagram of some of the different types of broadband: ADSL, FTTC (Sogea), Gfast, FTTP & Leased Lines.
ADSL (traditional broadband)
ADSL lines use copper from the telephone exchange to the cabinet, and again from the cabinet to the premises. However, copper is not the most reliable material. The speed of the connection reduces over the distance travelled. So the further you are from the cabinet, the slower the speed of your connection. It is also subject to wear and tear, and damaged lines can further impact the connection.
Traditional broadband has maximum speeds of around 17Mbps. This is often considered slow, especially for businesses, as most modern technology relies on data. In areas where fibre is up and running, you cannot be connected to the old ADSL broadband network.
SOGEA & FTTC
Single Order Generic Ethernet Access / Fibre to the Cabinet
These are blended solutions. There are different names for similar technologies. You’ll find these products available in most areas where fibre isn’t fully installed yet. It is where fibre cables run from the exchange to the local cabinet. The traditional copper lines then share this connection out to the surrounding premises.
SOGEA/FTTC can reach speeds of around 80Mbps which is much better than ADSL but is not particularly sufficient for supporting modern day needs such as streaming, gaming, cloud systems and smart homes.
FTTP (Fibre to the Premises)
A full fibre connection has fibre lines running from the exchange to the cabinet and from the cabinet straight to the premises.
You might opt for a full fibre connection at home so that everyone in the house can stream Netflix to their heart’s content. Plus, with more items becoming ‘smart’ in the home, a faster, more reliable connection can help to support that.
For businesses, the availability of FTTP is even more crucial. With speeds of up to 1Gb, it provides a reliable option for connectivity, while the cost remains a fraction of what you’d pay for a leased line.
Leased Lines
Leased lines provide a completely dedicated connection to businesses, with high levels of uptime, fast repairs and backup options. While this can be a costly solution, they are very well suited to larger businesses, or those who use a range of technologies.
The biggest difference between the broadband options above and leased lines is that this connection is dedicated. While other connections can support multiple premises, a leased line is solely yours. You can check out our leased line guide to find out more about them.
And in the end, you can still reach out to our team who’ll be happy to chat to you about your team’s requirements and check the services in your area in order to price up a solution. We can also incorporate network management and WiFi provisioning so that you have one neat solution.