If you’ve ever suffered from slow internet speeds during peak hours, you’ve likely experienced the effects of contention ratio… even if you didn’t know it!
Contention ratio is the number of users sharing the same data capacity on a broadband connection. It’s typically expressed as a ratio, like 50:1, meaning up to 50 households or businesses are using the same bandwidth pool. The higher the ratio, the more likely your connection will slow down during busy periods.
It’s one of the biggest limitations of shared business broadband – and one of the top reasons UK businesses are switching to leased lines, so read on to learn more!
🆚 Contended vs Uncontended Internet: The Top Difference
|
Feature |
Contended Broadband |
Leased Line (Uncontended) |
|
Shared bandwidth |
Yes (e.g. 50:1 or 20:1) |
No – bandwidth is dedicated |
|
Speed fluctuations |
Likely during peak usage |
Speeds remain stable 24/7 |
|
Upload speeds |
Often lower than download |
Symmetrical (equal upload/download) |
|
Best for |
Light use, home working |
Heavy use, VoIP, video, cloud services |
|
Price |
Cheaper monthly cost |
Higher monthly cost, better performance |
📉 Why Contention Ratio Hurts Business Performance
If your business uses:
- Microsoft 365 / Google Workspace
- Cloud-based CRM or accounting systems
- VoIP phone lines
- Video conferencing tools like Zoom or Teams
- Remote backups or file sharing
…then a contended connection could be holding you back.
During peak times (typically 9–11am and 2–4pm), your speeds can plummet, leading to:
- Laggy calls
- Frozen video
- Slow cloud access
- Delayed uploads
- Frustrated staff and customers
🚫 Why Leased Lines Don’t Have a Contention Ratio
Here’s the beauty of leased lines:
They are completely uncontended. That means:
- No other business shares your line.
- You get guaranteed bandwidth at all times.
- Upload speeds are just as fast as download speeds.
- You’re backed by a strict Service Level Agreement (SLA)… usually with 99.9% uptime guarantees.
Leased lines are ideal for businesses that can’t afford to compromise on connectivity, especially those in finance, tech, legal, healthcare, and ecommerce.
🔍 Why Is Contention Still a Thing in 2025?
Most UK businesses still rely on FTTC or FTTP broadband which share infrastructure with hundreds of other users. Even with full-fibre networks expanding, they’re still shared connections unless specifically provisioned as leased lines.
ISPs oversubscribe their capacity assuming not all users will be online at once, and when they are, you suffer.
UK Leased Line Providers Offering Uncontended Fibre
| Provider | Redundancy options | Dual carrier Support? | From |
|
|
Diverse routing, dual links | Yes | £399 + redundancy |
|
|
Dual-site connectivity | Yes | £400 + |
|
|
Separate routes, SD-WAN | Yes | £450 + |
|
|
Active-passive options | Limited | £300 + |
|
|
Multi-site and resilient WAN | Yes | £375 + |
💷 Is a Leased Line Worth the Extra Cost?
Let’s be honest-leased lines aren’t cheap. But when you factor in:
- Downtime-related losses
- Staff productivity
- Customer experience
- IT efficiency
…it often pays for itself.
For example, if your team of 10 wastes 15 minutes a day due to slow connections, that’s over 65 hours per month, which could cost more than the leased line itself.
🧠 FAQ
Q: Can I get a 1:1 contention broadband deal?
A: Not really… only leased lines offer a truly uncontended 1:1 service.
Q: How do I find out my current contention ratio?
A: Most providers don’t disclose this clearly and if your speeds vary wildly, you’re likely on a contended line.
Q: Can I upgrade to a leased line at any location?
A: In most UK postcodes, yes. Use a comparison tool to check availability and costs.
🧾 Conclusion: Don’t Let Shared Bandwidth Hold You Back
If your business depends on cloud platforms, real-time collaboration, or customer communication, a shared broadband connection just won’t cut it anymore.
Leased lines eliminate contention ratio…giving your team the performance, stability, and speed they need to thrive.
➡️ Want to compare prices? Use our handy tool today!