EFM vs. ADSL: Which is Better for Business?

EFM vs. ADSL – who will win the battle? Many businesses want to know which is type of connection is the better option, and the truth is that both can be very effective for businesses. In fact, there are actually many similarities between the two, such as both utilising existing copper lines which means the connections can often be achieved much more quickly – and installed a little more inexpensively – than a full leased line, for example. However, as we know, different businesses have different needs and requirements for facilitation of ongoing growth and development within their respective industries, and today many are finding that ADSL no longer ticks all the boxes. Here are just a few of the reasons why EFM – or ethernet first mile – is often crowned the ultimate winner in the EFM vs. ADSL match:

Fixed Bandwidth – Perhaps the most important deciding factor of the EFM vs ADSL battle is that EFM offers guaranteed with a 1:1 contention ratio that means availability isn’t affected by number of users or time of day. With ADSL, bandwidth can fluctuate – often quite dramatically – between peak and off-peak hours. Rebalancing is often required to maintain bandwidth.

Reliability – ADSL connections – and SDSL connections – are usually delivered via one pair of copper wires. EFM, on the other hand, are delivered by 4 pairs of copper wires, or in some cases the provider may even utilise 8 pairs of copper wires. What this does is create a much more resilient service for businesses, maintaining connectivity should one of the pairs fail.

Mid-Market Solution – As the market stands, there are two ‘extremes’: ADSL, which is inexpensive but delivers typically slower speeds, and leased lines, which are fast, reliable, but sometimes more than the budget allows. EFM is considered to be a suitable mid-market solution for businesses requiring more than ADSL can deliver without committing to a full leased line.

The Case for ADSL

As we can clearly see, EFM most definitely comes out on top in the EFM vs. ADSL battle, but let’s give credit where credit is due. ADSL isn’t all bad. In fact, there are a few areas where ADSL takes the advantage Availability is the most notable benefit of ADSL. There are almost 5600 telephone exchanges in the UK that enabled ADSL connections, and as a result ADSL is available to most businesses around the country. There are fewer ethernet-enabled exchanges – just 1500 – which means that some businesses may not be able to access EFM currently. The good news, however, is that EFM is becoming more widely available, and it is hoped that more businesses will take advantage of the growing network.

To find out more about the EFM vs. ADSL battle, compare business internet solutions online at leased-line-comparison.co.uk.