What do we know about leased lines? Well, we know they’re fast. Really fast. In the UK, a leased line could give you symmetrical upload and download speeds of up to 10 Gbps, which is one of the main advantages of a leased line. It’s great for situations where a large amount of data is being transferred, such as when using voIP, or when accessing files in the cloud, for example. But a leased line isn’t just about speed. In fact, we’re beginning to see many smaller businesses, sole traders, and freelancers starting to use leased lines. They’re not looking for greater bandwidth – they’re looking for low latency.

What is Latency?

If speed is the top benefit of a leased line, then latency comes in a close second. While speed is the time it takes to upload or download data, latency is the delay between you giving an instruction and that action being taken. Ideally, what you want is consistent low latency – or no delay – but unfortunately with many broadband products that doesn’t always happen. In the UK, the average delay for ADSL2+ services is between 20 and 30 milliseconds, while it’s slightly better for 30 Mbit and above packages, with delays usually between 10 and 25 milliseconds. But for some, this simply isn’t good enough.

When Does Latency Matter?

Low latency internet is essential within many industries, particularly businesses whose success and profits are largely based upon completion of time sensitive actions. This could be, for example:

Financial traders

Educators utilising electronic whiteboards

Online auctioneers

Health professionals accessing patient care records

Journalists requiring real-time updates

Emergency response units

These are all areas that may not necessarily require a large amount of bandwidth, but require a consistent low latency connection to minimise delays in the transfer of vital information.

Low Latency Leased Lines

If low latency is a priority, businesses are being urged to consider leased lines – many of which offer ultra low latency services – and it is important to raise awareness of the fact that leased lines aren’t just about speed and speed alone. Latency is becoming an increasingly important factor to take into consideration, and many are finding that the delays of standard broadband connections aren’t enabling them to grow and develop their business at the projected rate. The good news is that leased lines in the UK are becoming more and more affordable, and you can find a great deal by comparing leased line prices online.