How Long Does a Leased Line Take to Install?
A clear, direct answer to this question — written for UK business owners and IT decision-makers.
Direct Answer
A leased line takes 30–90 working days to install in the UK. Sites close to existing fibre infrastructure install faster; rural or complex sites requiring civil works take longer. AMVIA recommends ordering 90 days before you need the line live. The critical first step is a site survey and postcode check — this determines whether excess construction charges apply.
Key Points
What you need to know.
The Short Answer
Total FTTP coverage reached 79.5% of UK premises (approximately 26.7 million premises) in Q3 2025.
For UK Businesses
Gigabit-capable broadband now covers 87% of the UK, up from 84% in 2024 (Ofcom Connected Nations 2025).
Cost Considerations
Openreach is investing up to £15 billion to expand full fibre coverage to 25 million premises by December 2026.
Next Steps
Fixed leased line connections dominate the UK business internet market with a share exceeding 39%.
Quick Comparison
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Frequently Asked Questions
SD-WAN can reduce WAN costs by approximately 50% compared to traditional MPLS. The UK SD-WAN market is projected to grow from $4.8 billion in 2025 to $14.6 billion by 2031. SD-WAN is complementary to — not a replacement for — dedicated leased lines for primary connectivity.
FTTP delivers a fibre optic connection directly to your premises, unlike FTTC which uses copper for the final leg. FTTP coverage has reached 79.5% of UK premises as of Q3 2025. Openreach passed 20 million premises in September 2025 and targets 25 million by December 2026.
This depends on your number of users and applications. VoIP requires approximately 100 Kbps per call. Cloud applications and video conferencing need more. The UK average business broadband speed is 131 Mbps, but 20% of UK businesses report insufficient internet speeds for their needs.
UK businesses lost £3.7 billion to internet outages in 2023. Small businesses lose £350-£450 per minute of downtime. 92% of UK businesses take 24 hours or longer to recover from a significant outage. Backup connectivity and failover solutions are essential for business continuity.
A 100 Mbps leased line costs £240-£320 per month on a 36-month term in urban areas. 500 Mbps costs £411-£673 per month, and 1 Gbps ranges from £437-£994 per month. CityFibre and alternative providers typically quote 20-35% below BT and Vodafone for equivalent products.
Need More Detail?
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