Point-to-Point Leased Lines UK 2026 | Costs, Benefits & Top Providers Quick answer
A point-to-point leased line is a dedicated business connection linking two fixed locations, such as:
head office and branch office
office and warehouse
office and data centre
two production sites
a point-to-point circuit provides dedicated, symmetrical bandwidth between the two locations rather than using shared broadband capacity.
Current UK point-to-point Ethernet services can offer speeds up to 10Gbps , with advertised entry pricing from around £199 per month . Actual costs vary significantly by distance, bandwidth, local fibre availability, contract length and any required construction work.
Point-to-point leased lines are best for businesses that need predictable, high-capacity site-to-site connectivity, but i f you have three or more locations, it is also worth comparing MPLS, SD-WAN or Managed WAN .
Compare SD-WAN, Managed WAN, MPLS, leased lines, multi-site connectivity, SASE and backup broadband in one place.
Our main Business Network Solutions guide explains the differences, typical costs and which options are best for different business types.
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Key takeaways
A point-to-point leased line directly connects two business locations .
It provides dedicated, symmetrical bandwidth rather than shared broadband.
Current point-to-point Ethernet services can support up to 10Gbps .
Advertised entry pricing starts around £199/month , but postcode and route matter heavily.
It is particularly useful for office-to-office, office-to-data-centre and high-volume internal traffic .
For several branches, SD-WAN, MPLS or Managed WAN may scale more effectively.
Installation can take several weeks and may require wayleaves or civil works.
If the link is business-critical, ask about diverse routing or backup connectivity .
A point-to-point circuit is not automatically the same thing as an internet leased line.
Compare providers using both site postcodes , not just the required Mbps.
How do we work?
Transparent, impartial, and data‑driven reviews made by a team of expert humans, never AI generated – here’s exactly how Compare Your Business Costs helps you find the best deals from trusted UK providers: click here
Authored by: Ally Cox (Business Technology & B2B Services Specialist 10+ Years’ Experience)
Reviewed by: James Ward (Telecoms Specialist, 12+ Years Experience)
Last Updated: August 2026
Leased Line Cost Calculator UK Estimate your monthly leased line cost, annual spend, total contract value and whether dedicated internet is likely to be worth comparing for your business.
Required leased line speed
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Bearer size
100Mbps bearer 1Gbps bearer 10Gbps bearer A larger bearer can make future speed upgrades easier.
Business usage
Standard office use VoIP, video calls and cloud software Heavy uploads, backups or large files Critical operations / cannot trade offline Enterprise, data-heavy or multi-site Higher usage may increase recommended resilience and speed.
Location type
City / strong network availability Town / mixed availability Rural / limited availability Business park / complex install Leased line pricing is highly postcode-specific.
Contract length
12 months 24 months 36 months 60 months Longer contracts usually reduce the monthly price.
Resilience requirement
No extra resilience 4G/5G or broadband backup Diverse backup circuit Useful if downtime would stop trading.
SLA requirement
Standard business SLA Enhanced SLA / faster fix Critical SLA / maximum uptime focus Higher SLA expectations can affect provider choice.
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Contents
What Is a Point-to-Point Leased Line?
Advantages of Point-to-point Leased Lines
Point-to-point leased line vs internet leased line
Point-to-Point Costs
Point-to-Point vs MPLS/WAN
Installation Timeline
Point-to-Point Leased Line FAQS
What is a Point-to-Point Leased Line What Is a Point-to-Point Leased Line? A point-to-point leased line is a dedicated circuit between two business sites.
For example:
Site A ↔ Site B
The connection can carry:
internal applications
file transfers
VoIP
database traffic
backups
server replication
business network traffic
Is a point-to-point leased line right for your business?
Business requirement Best option to compare
Connect two offices directly
Point-to-point leased line
Office to data centre
Point-to-point leased line
Large regular site-to-site transfers
Point-to-point leased line
Two business-critical locations
Point-to-point + resilience
Three or more branches
MPLS / SD-WAN / Managed WAN
Light traffic between two sites
Site-to-site VPN may be enough
Main need is internet access
Internet leased line / DIA
Small office with no critical inter-site traffic
FTTP/business broadband
Disadvantages of Point-to-Point Leased Lines There are also a few disadvantages of point-to-point leased lines that are important to consider when making a decision.
Higher cost than standard broadband (dedicated infrastructure). Single-site limitation: Only connects two locations (consider MPLS or SD-WAN for multi-site).Installation lead time: Typically 30–90 days depending on wayleaves and fibre availability.
Below we’ve made a reference table of proper terminology relating to WAN and point-to-point leased lines:
Name
Meaning/Reference
Leased circuit,
The words line and circuit are often used as synonyms in telco terminology, circuit refers to the electrical circuit between the two endpoints.
Serial link,
The words link and line are also often used as synonyms. Serial, in this case, refers to the fact that the bits flow serially and that routers use serial interfaces.
Point-to-point link,
Refers to the fact the topology stretches between two points and two points only. (some older leased lines allowed more than two devices).
T1
A specific type of leased line that transmits data at 1.544 megabits per second (1.544 Mbps)
WAN link,
Both these terms are very general, with no reference to any specific technology.
Private line
Refers to the fact that other telco customers cannot copy data sent over the line, so the data is private.
Point-to-Point Leased Line Costs There is no reliable national fixed price because both ends of the circuit matter.
A practical 2026 planning guide is:
Service
Indicative monthly cost
Entry P2P Ethernet
From around £199
Standard business circuit
£250–£400+
Higher-speed / longer-distance circuit
£400–£700+
10Gbps / complex deployment
£600–£1,000+
Enterprise / highly resilient circuit
Bespoke
These are planning ranges rather than fixed market averages – current commercial providers advertise point-to-point leased lines from around £199/month .
The final quote depends on:
Site A postcode
Site B postcode
distance
network availability
required speed
bearer size
contract length
installation
wayleaves
excess construction charges
resilience
SLA
Point-to-point leased line vs internet leased line
These terms are related but not identical.
Internet leased line
Usually connects:
Business → internet
Point-to-point leased line
Usually connects:
Business Site A → Business Site B
Feature Internet leased line Point-to-point leased line
Main purpose
Dedicated internet access
Dedicated site-to-site link
Internet included
Yes
Not necessarily
Symmetrical speeds
Yes
Yes
Dedicated bandwidth
Yes
Yes
Business SLA
Yes
Yes
Best for
Critical internet connectivity
Private inter-site connectivity
you can use both!
Point-to-Point vs MPLS
Feature Point-to-point MPLS
Best number of sites
Two
Several
Site-to-site performance
Excellent
Strong
Scalability
Limited
Better
Multi-site routing
Basic
Strong
Complexity
Lower
Higher
Best for
Two critical locations
Multi-site private WAN
Choose P2P if your main requirement is a strong direct link between two sites.
Choose MPLS if multiple locations need to communicate across one wider private network.
Point-to-point vs SD-WAN
These solve different parts of the problem.
A point-to-point leased line is the connectivity .
SD-WAN is a software-defined networking layer that can manage multiple connections.
Point-to-point SD-WAN
Dedicated physical/network service
Network overlay
Usually two locations
Designed for many sites
Guaranteed circuit bandwidth
Uses one or more underlay connections
Simple direct topology
Intelligent routing and failover
Less flexible
Highly flexible
A multi-site business could use:
leased lines + broadband + 5G + SD-WAN
rather than installing one P2P circuit between every pair of locations.
Point-to-point vs site-to-site VPN
A site-to-site VPN creates an encrypted tunnel over existing internet connections.
A point-to-point leased line gives you dedicated bandwidth between the sites.
Feature P2P leased line Site-to-site VPN
Dedicated bandwidth
Yes
No
Uses normal internet
Not necessarily
Yes
Monthly cost
Higher
Lower
Predictability
Strong
Internet-dependent
Setup time
Longer
Faster
Best for
Heavy/critical traffic
Lighter site traffic
Installation Timeline A straightforward leased-line installation can take several weeks.
A sensible planning range is: around 30–90 days
although difficult installations can take longer.
Potential delays include:
fibre build
street works
building access
landlord approval
wayleaves
excess construction
network surveys
If you are opening a new office, arrange temporary connectivity rather than assuming the circuit will arrive exactly on schedule.
What resilience should you compare? If Site A and Site B cannot operate without the circuit, compare:
diverse fibre routes
secondary leased line
FTTP backup
4G/5G backup
SD-WAN failover
Final verdict A point-to-point leased line is a strong choice when a business needs dedicated, predictable connectivity between two locations, so is particularly suitable for:
two offices
office-to-data-centre connectivity
backups and replication
high-volume internal traffic
critical business applications
Current UK services advertise speeds up to 10Gbps and entry pricing from around £199/month , although real prices depend heavily on the locations and route.
For two important sites: Compare point-to-point Ethernet.
For several branches: Compare MPLS, SD-WAN or Managed WAN.
If downtime would stop your business operating: Compare resilience at the same time as the main circuit.
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Point-to-point leased line FAQs What is a point-to-point leased line?
A point-to-point leased line is a dedicated business connection linking two locations with committed, symmetrical bandwidth.
How much does a point-to-point leased line cost?
Current UK services advertise entry pricing from around £199/month. Many circuits cost more depending on speed, distance, infrastructure and resilience requirements.
What speeds are available?
Current point-to-point Ethernet products can support speeds up to 10Gbps, depending on provider and network availability.
Is point-to-point Ethernet uncontended?
Dedicated Ethernet services provide committed bandwidth rather than the shared access model used by ordinary business broadband.
Is it the same as a leased line?
It is a type of leased-line service designed primarily to link two fixed locations.
Is a point-to-point leased line secure?
It provides private provider-network connectivity, but sensitive data should still be protected using appropriate encryption and cybersecurity controls.
What is EAD?
Ethernet Access Direct is Openreach’s dedicated Ethernet access product and can be used to create point-to-point site-to-site connectivity.
Is P2P better than MPLS?
For two sites, P2P may be simpler. MPLS can be more suitable where several locations need private connectivity.
Is P2P better than SD-WAN?
They are different technologies. P2P provides connectivity, while SD-WAN manages traffic across multiple connections and sites.
Is a VPN cheaper than a point-to-point line?
Usually, because a VPN can run over existing broadband. However, performance depends on the underlying internet connections.
Can point-to-point leased lines support VoIP?
Yes. Dedicated symmetrical capacity and predictable latency make them well suited to voice and real-time applications.
How long does installation take?
Around 30-90 days is a useful planning range, but complex installations can take longer.
Can I upgrade the speed later?
Often, depending on the bearer and provider infrastructure. Ask about upgrade options when comparing quotes.
Do I need a backup line?
If the connection is business-critical, it is worth comparing a genuinely diverse backup connection.
Related branch, WAN and connectivity guides Core multi-site and branch guides Multi-Site Connectivity UK https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/multi-site-connectivity
Multi-Site Resilience and Failover https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/multi-site-resilience-failover
Multi-Site Leased Lines https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/multi-site-leased-lines
Business Connectivity Solutions https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/business-connectivity-solutions
WAN, SD-WAN and managed networks SD-WAN Providers UK https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/sd-wan
Managed WAN Services UK https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/managed-wan-services
WAN Providers UK https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/wan-providers
Hybrid WAN Architecture https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/hybrid-wan-architecture
SD-WAN vs MPLS https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/sd-wan-vs-mpls
Internet, backup and security Business Broadband Deals https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/business-broadband
Dedicated Internet Access https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/dedicated-internet-access
Broadband Backup Line for Business https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/broadband-backup-line
Cloud Connectivity UK https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/cloud-connectivity
Business Internet Security https://compareyourbusinesscosts.co.uk/business-internet-security
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James Ward is the CEO & Founder of Compare Your Business Costs — a UK-verified comparison platform helping SMEs save money on business broadband, leased lines, phone systems, mobile telecoms, managed services and IT support. With over 10 years of experience in telecoms and technology procurement, James is a trusted UK business expert featured in national media and verified on Companies House.
