Choosing the Right Leased Line Speed for Your Business
Welcome to this leased line speed guide for small businesses. In the first 100 words it’s important to be clear: this leased line speed guide explains how to match capacity to need, how to interpret common offerings and how to think about future growth. Whether you’re evaluating entry-level connections or planning for a high-capacity fibre circuit, the aim here is practical advice for choosing leased line bandwidth that suits your organisation today and tomorrow.
Leased line speed guide: choosing the right bandwidth
Choosing leased line bandwidth is about more than headline Mbps or Gbps. Consider the types of traffic you carry (email, cloud apps, VoIP, video conferencing, backups), peak loads, and the number of simultaneous users. A leased line offers symmetrical speeds — the same upload and download throughput — which matters if your team uploads large files or relies on cloud-hosted services.
Leased line speeds explained
Leased line speeds usually range from 10Mbps to multiple gigabits per second. Common options for small firms include 100Mbps and 1Gbps, while larger organisations may opt for several gigabits. The choice should be informed by real usage patterns, the need for low latency and service level agreements (SLAs) that guarantee uptime and rapid fault repair.
Assess current and peak usage
Start by measuring current consumption and identifying peak periods. Look at:
- Number of devices and concurrent users
- Cloud applications and file-sharing behaviour
- Backup schedules and large data transfers
- Real-time services such as VoIP and video calls
Many organisations find that average utilisation understates peak needs; factor in bursts and future hires when choosing capacity.
100Mbps vs 1Gbps leased line
Comparing 100Mbps vs 1Gbps leased line options is a common decision point. A 100Mbps circuit may suffice for smaller teams (for example, 10–30 users) with moderate cloud use and few simultaneous video streams. A 1Gbps connection gives room for growth, supports more concurrent high-definition video calls, faster cloud backups, and improved headroom for spikes. Cost differences can be significant, so weigh current needs against likely growth and resilience requirements.
Using a bandwidth calculator
A bandwidth calculator can help translate application needs into a recommended capacity. Input values such as number of users, average concurrent video calls, and expected file transfer sizes. The output provides an estimate of required throughput during peak times. Treat these tools as guidance rather than gospel; they help structure decisions but should be combined with real monitoring data.
Future growth planning and network scalability
Future growth planning should be a central part of any selection. Think about projected headcount, increased reliance on cloud services, and new digital initiatives. Network scalability means choosing a solution that can be upgraded with minimal disruption — either by increasing the circuit size or adding additional circuits. Consider redundancy options to maintain continuity if a single path fails.
Cost, SLAs and practical trade-offs
Cost per Mbps typically falls as speed increases, but absolute cost rises. Balance budget with requirements for low latency, guaranteed throughput and rapid incident response. SLAs that specify repair times and performance metrics are often the real value of a leased line compared with shared broadband. Also consider installation time, lead-in requirements and whether existing infrastructure (such as on-site routers) must be upgraded.
Small business leased line speed considerations
For many small firms, the priority is reliable, symmetrical connectivity rather than maximum speed. A right-sized leased line will remove bottlenecks during busy periods and improve user experience for cloud apps and unified communications. If most work is browser-based and file sizes are small, moderate speeds may be economical. If your company runs a hosted service, conducts frequent large uploads or serves customers online, prioritise higher upload capacity.
Example scenario
Example: A design studio with 18 staff uses cloud CAD, stores large project files and holds several simultaneous video calls. Their current 50Mbps connection experiences slow uploads and interrupted calls. After measuring peak use and running a bandwidth calculator, they choose a 1Gbps leased line to give consistent performance, faster cloud saves and room for two extra designers next year.
Practical checklist before ordering
- Measure current traffic and peak loads for at least a month.
- Run a bandwidth calculator and validate against real data.
- Decide on needed headroom and redundancy for future growth planning.
- Compare SLAs, installation timelines and upgrade paths for network scalability.
- Factor total cost of ownership, including any on-site equipment changes.
Choosing the right leased line involves understanding your present needs and anticipating future demands. This leased line speed guide should help you compare options, weigh 100Mbps vs 1Gbps leased line choices, and make a practical decision tailored to your small business. Keep measurements, growth plans and SLA terms central to the conversation when selecting capacity.
