Have leased lines reached the end of the line?

(PRWEB) May 14, 2004 -- The advent of SDSL technology has increased speculation that leased business lines have now reached the end of their useful life. With nearly all BT’s phone exchanges being upgraded to ADSL by the summer of 2005, and the SDSL footprint being enlarged by a further 150 exchanges, there is a unique opportunity for businesses to review their current internet connections and save lots of money in the process.

SDSL is a more advanced version of the familiar ADSL (Broadband) system that is currently available to most businesses and home users. The main differentiator between the two systems is that SDSL offers the same speed both ways on the line, enabling businesses to host their own websites, or support a larger number of users on the line. Previously, a dedicated leased line for business was the only alternative - but as it proved prohibitively expensive, few small businesses could afford the cost.

SDSL is currently available from 250Kb/s up to 2Mb/s; the lines can also be bonded together to create 4Mb/s to 8Mb/s pipes into the business. The contention ratio on the lines (amount of other businesses sharing the bandwidth) starts from a low 10:1 through to a leased line equivalent of 1:1, enabling businesses to customise any line to suit their requirements.

Because of BT’s forward-thinking approach, there’s no doubt that SDSL will soon be the new connection of choice for managers of small and medium-sized businesses. As Piers Daniell, Sales Director of the internet service provider, Fluidata, explains: “When ISPs such as ourselves are able to offer customers a 100% SLA, incorporating full 24-hour support, with an ADSL backup line for half the price of the equivalent leased-line service, anybody will be able to appreciate the tremendous benefits that SDSL brings. Most businesses are looking to save IT costs while not compromising on service and SDSL offers the perfect opportunity to drive current high prices down.�

SDSL is available through a number of exchanges across the country alongside ADSL. For further details contact Fluidata (www.fluidata.co.uk) or your current business ISP.