Reliability and compensation report: the impact of poor business fibre connectivity

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If you run a business in the UK, you’ve probably heard of 'fibre broadband'. But what does that mean – and are all fibre services the same?

The short answer: no.

Two companies might both be sold ‘fibre’ but get very different results. Speed, reliability, and consistency vary wildly depending on the underlying engineering.

Why? Because some connections still rely on outdated infrastructure. Others are shared with your neighbours, and often with residential customers too. Most don’t come with the guarantees modern businesses need.

Let’s break down the three most common types of connection you might be offered:  

• FTTC
• FTTP
• direct internet access (DIA)  

and why the difference between them matters.

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1) FTTC (fibre to the cabinet): fibre, kind of

FTTC runs fibre from your provider’s network to a street cabinet near you, then uses copper wires to reach your premises (while still selling you ‘fibre’).  

Copper = outdated. Which means slower speeds, interference, and fluctuating performance – especially if the cabinet’s a few blocks away or shared by lots of users. And those cabinets? They’re exposed to weather and vandalism, adding yet another layer of risk.

FTTC might work for casual browsing, but if your business depends on video calls, cloud platforms, or remote collaboration, expect slow uploads, dropped connections, and no guarantees when things go wrong.

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2) FTTP (fibre to the premises): better, but not ideal

Unlike FTTC, FTTP is a fibre connection that runs straight from the exchange to your building. With no copper cabling involved, it offers better speed and stability.

But here’s the catch: while this is often what internet service providers call ‘business broadband’, you still share your connection with up to 30 others. And while the average speed range is typically quoted as 150 to 900Mbps, the reality is, you often won't always experience those speeds, particularly during peak times because you share your bandwidth with others.

For micro businesses or early-stage start-ups, FTTP may provide a half workable solution, especially as a stepping stone. But be prepared for pixelated, laggy video calls or a long wait to download a pitch deck during busy times and sometimes, for no apparent reason at all.  

As we put it in our earlier blog comparing broadband to leased lines: ‘If it’s broadband, it’s shared’. FTTP is still broadband and not something that provides a genuine solution for reliable connectivity.

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What to be aware of if you are considering buying FTTP

FTTP can sound a lot like a high-end business service. It’s full fibre. It promises impressive speeds. And it often comes with confident-sounding terms like ‘uptime guarantee’ or ‘symmetrical speeds’. But these features deserve a closer look, because what they offer in theory isn’t always what they deliver in practice.  

Take ‘symmetrical speeds’. FTTP can technically offer equal upload and download speeds, but only if the network isn’t busy and your plan allows it. Most of the time, upload speeds drop off when everyone’s online.

Then there’s the ‘uptime guarantee’. Sounds great. But without automatic compensation for downtime or real SLAs, they're often just marketing phrases – not a sign of real accountability. Many providers only commit to a response or investigation window, rather than to actual fix times.

Other elements that sound impressive but don’t necessarily reflect business grade standards. Static IP addresses are promoted as a ‘business’ feature, but these are widely available as standard on home broadband. ‘Priority fault handling’ usually just means you’re ahead of domestic users - not first in line for a fix.

So, while FTTP is better than FTTC, it is still very much part of that ‘broadband’ family. It’s a strong consumer-grade product, but not a substitute for a business-grade connection.

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3) Direct internet access (DIA): fibre built for business

DIA, sometimes known as a ‘leased line’ or ‘dedicated internet’, is a full fibre connection exclusively allocated to a single business. Unlike FTTC or FTTP, it isn’t shared with neighbouring offices or homes, and it isn’t affected by the demands of other users on the network.

It’s your own, dedicated connection, built for performance, reliability, and security.

With DIA, you always get ‘actual’ symmetrical speeds, meaning your uploads are just as fast as your downloads. This makes a big difference for real-time communication, file transfers, and cloud tools. You also benefit from 1:1 contention, meaning your bandwidth is always your own and performance doesn’t drop at peak times - because there’s no one else on your line.

Most importantly, DIA comes with robust service-level agreements (SLAs). These go beyond vague promises, offering clear commitments on uptime guarantees, target fix times, and - with a good provider - automatic compensation if things go wrong.

It’s not just about speed; it’s about having trust in the service that underpins your operations.

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DIA is especially valuable in scenarios where reliability directly impacts productivity:

• Cloud-heavy workflows: platforms like Salesforce, Azure, AWS, or cloud CRMs need reliable 24/7 access. Outages or slow speeds mean lost hours and lost business.

• Creative and media teams: agencies and production houses transferring large design files or uploading media to the cloud need fast, stable upload speeds. DIA’s symmetrical performance makes that possible.

• Security-focused organisations: if your business runs VPNs, firewalls, or handles sensitive data, you need a connection that supports uptime and compliance without compromise.

• Hybrid/remote teams: distributed workforces need reliable video calls, collaboration tools, and seamless file sharing. DIA keeps everyone connected – consistently.  

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At a glance: FTTC, FTTP, and direct internet (DIA)

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The right fibre for the right job

FTTC, FTTP and DIA each have their place, but they’re not interchangeable. Unfortunately for many businesses, the differences become visible the moment the connection is put under pressure.

For businesses in this day and age, FTTP and FTTC are not fit for purpose. And being overly reliant on outdated infrastructure costs London businesses billions a year in outages.  

DIA (whether you call it a leased line or dedicated internet) is designed with business in mind. For teams working in the cloud, relying on uptime or collaborating in real time, it offers a level of confidence that shared broadband simply can’t match.

Choose with care. The best internet solution is the one that will support the way your business works not only now, but also as it grows.

If you want to find out if DIA is right for your business, get in touch with our team. We're always happy to chat through your options.