What is dedicated internet access?
Dedicated Internet Access or DIA is a private and symmetrical internet connection between your location and the Internet Service Provider (ISP). This type of connection is not shared with any other users and thus you get a dedicated speed despite peak hours. DIA is an enterprise-grade line that is typically delivered over the fibre and can also be delivered over copper or wirelessly.
The service level agreement (SLA) from your ISP guarantees an uptime of 99.9% generally which protects you from issues like jitter, latency and packet loss. Even if your DIA encounters issues, your provider responds to you within 1-2 hours and fixes the problem within 6 hours.
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How fast is dedicated internet access?
Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) provides an uncontended internet connection for your business. The speed depends on the provider and the package you choose but it’s generally available in the range from 100Mbps to 10Gbps. The cost of each bandwidth will be different.
Key features of Dedicated Internet Access (DIA)
The following are the most common features of a dedicated internet line.
- The bandwidth to the internet is not shared, giving you an uninterrupted and consistent speed at all times.
- Upload and download speeds are the same.
- Comes with an SLA that guarantees an uptime of 99.99%.
- It can connect multiple sites to bring current and future locations online.
- The bandwidth can be increased provided the bearer line has the capacity e.g. if you’re getting a speed of 100 MB on a 1 GB bearer, you can increase the speed up to 1 GB.
- Comes in speeds from 2Mbps to 10Gbps although 10Mbps, 100Mbps and 200Mbps are the most common.
How does dedicated internet access work?
It works through a DIA circuit. DIA circuit involves a junction and physical wiring that routes through the ISP to the business site. Data travels through these wires whenever you upload or download information. The main types of circuits are:
Type I circuits:
These circuits involve a single provider for both the last mile connection and the ISP. They have shorter installation times and lower latency.
Type II circuits:
These circuits involve different providers for the last mile connection and the ISP. They generally have higher latency as compared to Type I circuits and more points of failure are present along the data path.
Other than that, DIA uses different technology for data transfer. They are the following:
- T1: Uses copper wire.
- T3: Uses copper wire:
- Ethernet over Copper (EoC): Uses copper wire.
- Ethernet over Fibre (EoF): Uses optic fibre that provides better speeds.
- Fixed wireless.
Benefits of dedicated internet access
Having an unshared and dedicated internet line can have many benefits for your business.
1. Guaranteed bandwidth and speed
DIA offers dedicated bandwidth, unlike broadband connections, enabling businesses to get the speed they pay for, without any reduction during peak times. Also, it comes with lightning speeds (up to 10 GB), so even if your business executes data-intensive tasks like video conferencing and cloud computing, you can have peace of mind regarding the seamless operation.
If you’re curious about how to find the needed bandwidth for your team, here’s a formula. If your business performs low-bandwidth activities like browsing, small file sharing, email sending and music streaming:
Estimated bandwidth needed = no. of users x 3 = 10 x 3 = 30Mbps
If your business performs high-bandwidth activities like video streaming, VoIP calling, online gaming and large file uploading:
Estimated bandwidth needed = no. of users x 10 = 10 x 10 = 100Mbps
I hope you got the idea.
2. Connection is SLA-backed
Service Level Agreements (SLAs) guarantee uptime and quick issue resolution which means any interruptions will be handled promptly by the service provider. Most providers issue an uptime of 99.9% which means you will only have a downtime of 8.8 hours in a year. Here’s more to it:
| SLA | Downtime/year | Downtime/month | Downtime/day |
|---|---|---|---|
|
99% |
3.6 days |
7.3 hours |
14.4 minutes |
|
99.9% |
8.8 hours |
43.8 minutes |
1.4 minutes |
|
99.99% |
52.6 minutes |
4.4 minutes |
8.6 seconds |
|
99.999% |
5.3 minutes |
26.3 seconds |
864 milliseconds |
3. High scalability
A dedicated internet line can be easily scaled to meet growing business needs. This allows companies to increase the bandwidth as they expand. E.g. if you’re using an internet speed of 10Mbps on a 1 GB line, you can increase it all the way up to 1 GB.
4. High security
These lines are not shared by other businesses which reduces the risk of data breaches. Most service providers offer security measures like firewalls with the package to keep the security in check.
Disadvantages of dedicated internet access
Now, let’s touch a bit on the cons of DIA.
1. It’s more expensive.
Dedicated internet (an example of which is a leased line) is more expensive than broadband and that is largely because of its unshared nature. The price and service of the entire line falls on a single user. There are many other attached costs as well. In general, the monthly charges will be 5-7x more expensive than a broadband connection of the same speed.
2. You’re bound by a long-term contract
Generally, the minimum contract for a dedicated internet line is 3 years. Why this extended time period? Because the installation of the internet line includes a dedicated line being routed from the ISP’s premises to your business site. All that hard work will turn to waste if you decide to call off the service after 6 months or so. So, it’s only reasonable to have a secure backing of at least 3 years on the part of the service provider.
Cost of dedicated internet access
The cost of a dedicated internet line/leased line will vary depending on the speed, location and the provider. Generally, you should be ready to pay £185 – £270 per month for a 100Mbps line in London.
The following tables will clarify the DIA pricing even more.
According to speed:
| Internet speed | Monthly charges |
|---|---|
|
100 Mbps |
£185 - £270 |
|
500 Mbps |
£270 - £350 |
|
1 Gbps |
£300 - £650 |
|
10 Gbps |
£650 and above |
According to the location:
| Location | Monthly charges of a 100Mb line |
|---|---|
|
London |
£185 - £230 |
|
Manchester |
£200 - £280 |
|
Ambleside |
£220 - £320 |
Other factors that impact the pricing are the time of the contract, the type of dedicated line and the installation charges. Let’s understand with one example of each.
- Some providers waive off the installation charges if you sign a contract of 3 years or more.
- A Fibre Ethernet line will cost more than an Ethernet First Mile (EFM) line.
- If the magnitude of digging required to lay the lines is less, installation charges may be between £1000 and £2000. If it’s high, it could go all the way up to £20,000.
Is Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) suitable for my business?
If your answer to the following questions is Yes, it would be highly beneficial for you to switch to dedicated internet lines.
- Do you need more bandwidth than is provided by the broadband provider, because you’re using data-intensive services like VoIP and cloud computing?
- Are you frustrated with inconsistent internet performance?
- Do you wish you could free your IT staff up to focus on operations rather than network management?
- Does your business have a single location?
- Do you want a quicker response time in case the internet connection incurs an issue?
Dedicated internet line vs other alternatives
Vs broadband
Three of the major differences between DIA and broadband are the following:
- DIA offers symmetrical speeds which means the download and upload speeds are equal while broadband offers asymmetrical speeds. The download speed is generally more than the upload speed.
- DIA is always unshared while broadband is shared among multiple users.
- DIA providers offer guarantees of uptime and quick fix time in the form of SLAs. That’s not the case with most broadband providers.
Vs IP transit
The major differences between the two are:
- DIA is locked to one provider while IP transit has multiple routing paths each connected with a unique ISP.
- The bandwidth provided by DIA is highly reliable while the reliability of the IP transit line will depend on the network path taken (performance may vary).
- The cost of DIA is always higher than IP transit
- DIA provides higher speeds than IP transit.
Vs MPLs
The main differences between DIA and Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLs) are:
- DIA will always provide higher speeds than MPLS. MPLS is limited in terms of bandwidth provision because of the nature of its infrastructure.
- MPLS can be scaled just like DIA but the process is complex and time-consuming.
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Businesses requiring reliable, high-speed and uninterrupted internet with uplifted bandwidth will benefit the most from Dedicated Internet Access. This includes financial institutions, e-commerce companies, technology firms and media organisations.
DIA refers to an internet connection that is devoted to a single user. It is typically delivered through optical fibre which is why it can be referred to as fibre line as well.
DIA speeds can range from 2Mbps to 10Gbps, depending on the service provider and the specific needs of the business. It offers consistent and reliable speeds, ensuring high performance for data-intensive operations.
