When choosing a leased line for your business internet, you’re not just buying speed—you’re investing in performance, reliability, and support. That’s where the leased line SLAs come in.
But what exactly are Leased Line SLAs and how do you know if the one offered by your provider is truly business-grade?
Join us as we demystify leased line SLAs for UK businesses—explaining what they are, what they include, why they matter, and what to demand from your provider before signing a contract.
📄 What Is a Leased Line SLA?
An SLA is a formal agreement between your leased line provider and your business that outline the guaranteed performance standards you can expect from your connection, such as:
- Uptime guarantee (e.g. 99.9%+ availability)
- Fix time in case of faults
- Latency, jitter and packet loss thresholds
- Compensation for any service failures
- Support response and escalation times
In short, an SLA gives you reliable, contract-backed expectations—and holds your provider accountable if things go wrong.
✅ Why Do SLAs Matter for UK Businesses
Your business internet is the backbone of your operations, so downtime means:
- Missed customer orders
- Lost productivity
- Disrupted cloud access or VoIP services
- Frustrated staff and customers
With a solid SLA, you will be protected from extended outages—and can plan confidently, knowing your internet performance is guaranteed.
⚖️ Essential Elements of a Leased Line SLA (And What They Mean)
So we’re now going to break down the most essential parts of a leased line SLA for UK businesses:
1. Uptime guarantee (%)
Most providers offer 99.9% uptime or better, which translates to:
2. Fix time
This refers to how quickly the provider must resolve a fault once it’s reported.
- Typical fix times: 4–5 hours for leased lines
- Some providers offer 24/7 support and response
Before signing up with any providers, make sure that their fix time applies outside business hours, too—mainly if you rely on your connection for remote work or VoIP.
3. Response times
This refers to how quickly your provider responds to your support request, not just resolves it.
- So, keep in mind that fast responses = fewer delays in diagnosis and escalation
- Also look for guaranteed 1-hour response times as standard
4. Compensation for downtime
You may be eligible for financial compensation if your provider fails to meet the SLA, and this usually comes in the form of service credits against your monthly bill.
Typical examples could include:
- 1 day of credit for each hour of outage (after the SLA window)
- Up to 100% of your monthly fee if multiple outages occur
💡 Always ask: What’s the maximum compensation? Are claims automatic, or do you need to file them manually?
5. Performance metrics
Some SLAs also define:
- Latency
- Packet loss
- Jitter
all of these are especially important for:
- VoIP systems
- Most types of video conferencing tools
- and cloud-based business apps
📞 If you need smooth performance in your business, look for:
- Latency under 20ms
- Packet loss under 0.1%
- Jitter under 1ms
🧐 Questions to Ask Your Provider Before Signing an SLA
- What uptime and fix time do you guarantee?
- Does compensation back your SLA?
- Are support teams available 24/7?
- What happens if you miss the SLA?
- Are performance metrics like latency included?
- Is the SLA included in the base price, or is it an upgrade?
🔎 SLA Comparison: Sample from Top UK Leased Line Providers
| Provider | Uptime guarantee | Fix time | 24/7 support | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99.995% | 5 hours | Yes | Yes (credit scheme) |
| 99.9% | 6 hours | Yes | Yes |
| 99.9% | 4 hours | Yes | Yes |
 | 99.9% | 5 hours | Limited | Yes |
| 99.9% | 6 hours | Yes | Yes |
✅ Leased Line SLAs Are Just as Important as Speed
While we think that speed gets the headlines, reliability and support keep your business running smoothly and arobust leased line SLA ensures you’re protected, prioritised, and compensated if things don’t go as planned.Whether you’re choosing your first leased line or reviewing an existing contract, always check the SLA—and take our word for it – don’t settle for vague promises!!