What is Line of Sight Internet? and is it right for your business?

Line of sight internet is a business-grade internet connection that’s delivered wirelessly via Point to Point technology.

In terms of performance, it’s very similar to a dedicated fibre leased line, but because the connection is made through a line of sight internet transmitter (also known as a Point to Point link) – there is no dependency on underground fibre cables.

This makes installation considerably quicker when compared to a leased line, and a lot cheaper too!

Line Of Sight Internet Pros And Cons

Here are some of the pros and cons when it comes to getting a line of sight internet connection as a business in the UK:

Pro – Installation Price

The price to install line of sight internet is incredibly affordable when compared to the likes of a leased line (which is the most similar type of internet connection in terms of performance).

Because leased lines rely on physical cables to establish a connection, construction work needs to take place to get these cables to your premises. This is known as “Excess Construction Charges“, which can cost anywhere from £5,000 – £100,000.

This is because leased lines require miles and miles of land to be dug up, as well as the construction of overhead poles to get a physical fibre cable into your building.

Whereas line of sight internet is cableless, and so does not require anywhere near the construction leased lines do.

That’s why line of sight internet installation costs a fraction of the price (around £1,000 – £2,000).

Pro – Time Taken To Get Set Up

Again, if we’re comparing the amount of time it takes to get line of sight internet set up with a leased line – Line of sight internet is a clear winner.

The Excess Construction Charges we spoke about earlier for leased lines don’t just cost a lot of money, they take a lot of time too. This will depend on where you’re located but will usually take several months (or even years in some cases).

Line of sight internet on the other hand can be installed in as little as just 14 days (as there is very minimal construction work needed to establish the connection).

Pro – Reliability & Uptimes

With the exception of a bonded internet connection such as MultiConnect+ (which will bond multiple internet connections including line of sight internet), line of sight internet is as good as it gets when it comes to reliability.

The uptimes on a line of sight internet connection will usually exceed 99.99%, which is actually higher than a fibre leased line.

But the real benefit of using line of sight internet over a leased line is that it’s harder to break and easier to fix.

Having physical underground cables makes the connection vulnerable to floods, fires and even small road works, which has left many businesses without internet for weeks. The problem for leased line providers is that it’s hard to track down exactly where the fault has occurred, taking a lot of precious time.

Whereas line of sight internet isn’t vulnerable in that way. It’s a cableless connection that’s delivered over the air.

Pro – Ultra-Low Latency

Another key benefit here is latency. When compared to standard business internet connections – the difference in latency is night and day.

But what often surprises many people is that line of sight internet actually has lower latency than a leased line. This is because it doesn’t have to pass through an exchange (like leased lines do). Instead, it goes directly into the national fibre network.

Making it perfect for Web Browsing, VoIP, Video Meetings (such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams etc.), CCTV, Office 365 and more

Con – Availability

Line of sight Internet, as with most things, has its downsides. And the truth is that, while it is superior to a Leased Line in nearly every way, it isn’t available in many areas.

Although it’s rise in popularity throughout 2020-2022 has increased the likelihood your business will have availability – there are still some areas of the UK where a line of sight internet connection simply isn’t available.

To find out if line of sight internet is available at your businesses premises, click on the button below and enter your details.

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