Ethernet First Mile versus Fibre Broadband

When it comes to your internet connection, for many businesses it is important to consider the type of internet service that will suit you best. Speed, reliability, and security are all important factors to consider and can go hand in hand with improving your staff productivity and efficiency. With a trusted internet connection capable of handling multiple users and providing superfast download speeds, businesses will quite clearly see the benefits of their chosen service. Two of the options that may be considered are EFM leased lines and Fibre broadband. So, which is better?

The Case for Fibre Broadband

Fibre broadband has been labelled the 'next generation' of broadband for a reason: its superfast speeds are unmatched in the broadband marketplace. Utilising fibre optic cables that carry data using light instead of the electrical signals used by traditional copper cables, fibre cables are more reliable and a lot faster than previous broadband offerings. Their stand-out feature is speed: download speeds of up to 100Mb can be achieved in some areas, and most areas will still be able to achieve significantly improved speed although not quite as much as the 100Mb advertised.

The two options available for installation are Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) and Fibre to the Premises (FTTP). FTTC involves a fibre optic connection from a local exchange to a street cabinet, which then connects to subscribers via copper cables. FTTP is a connection straight from the exchange to the premises, from which multiple users can connect. Many businesses will opt for the latter, ensuring that their staff can access superfast download speeds and quick upload speeds. The cables are not affected by the external factors such as bad weather or electrical interference that affect copper cables and can support multiple users with ease, so Fibre broadband offers a reliable service.

The key factor in considering Fibre broadband over Ethernet First Mile leased lines is that Fibre offers faster speeds (EFM leased lines generally offer speeds of 35Mb) at much lower prices. EFM leased lines have to be rented annually with a costly monthly fee, and Fibre broadband is much cheaper in comparison. There are, however, other factors to consider which may swing you towards EFM.

The Case for EFM

EFM (Ethernet in the First Mile) can be utilised through dedicated leased lines. This means that the service is exclusive to you, and connection will not be shared by anybody.

One of the most important points for EFM is security and reliability. EFM leased lines come with Service Level Agreements, which are essential for businesses that rely heavily on their internet and place paramount importance on maintaining connection. Service Level Agreements ensure that faults are fixed swiftly, and connection will not go down for a prolonged period of time. So, if you cannot afford for internet connection to go down for too long, EFM leased lines may be your only option. Furthermore, EFM leased lines utilise multiple copper pairs rather than just a single pair as broadband does, so if one individual pair has a fault then connection can still be maintained.

Another factor to consider is that EFM leased lines are asymmetrical, whereas Fibre broadband connection is symmetrical. This means that EFM leased lines will offer the same upload speeds as download speeds, whereas Fibre broadband has faster download speeds than upload speeds. Therefore, EFM leased lines may offer faster upload speeds than Fibre broadband - which could be important for businesses that need to host and upload large amounts of data on a regular basis.

So what's best for you?

Fibre broadband or EFM leased lines is really decided on a case-by-case basis. It is best to sum up your business needs, what you need from the internet, and what is your top priority. If superfast download speeds at a cheaper price appeal to you most, then Fibre broadband is the right choice. If the security and reliability of leased lines means you don't mind paying the premium, then EFM could be the right option. Either way, there are two different services to suit the needs of different businesses - so you can be safer in the knowledge that there is a service tailored for you.