Connectivity of choice: Why you should prioritise FTTP

Back in 2001, internet connection speeds were estimated to be just 0.1Mbps. In fewer than 20 years, broadband and connectivity have changed in ways we could never have imagined.

And the evolution is far from over.

Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) takes the fibre optic connection directly from the local exchange into a business’ building, offering download speeds of up to 330Mbps and upload speeds of up to 50Mbps. These figures demonstrate just how fast the world is changing. If businesses don’t change with it, they’re at risk of being left behind.

WHY FTTP?

Primarily, FTTP ensures ultra-fast performance with little-to-no dropouts thanks to the direct fibre connection.

Although accelerated by the pandemic, the new work-from-home landscape is here to stay, with 26 percent of Brits planning to work from home regularly once all restrictions are lifted. Businesses around the world are beginning to recognise the benefits of a flexible approach to working for both productivity and employee wellbeing. This shift has caused a spike in the drive and demand for increased bandwidth.

However, 80 percent of the country is currently unable to access a stable fibre broadband connection. So, establishing the infrastructure to handle this volume of people working remotely starts with FTTP.
Many employers are worried about their staff being unable to maintain a secure and speedy internet connection throughout the day. Investing in FTTP will guarantee employees can work remotely without the drawbacks of unreliable residential connections — particularly in more rural areas of the country.

Not only are more people working from home than ever, but the average number of connected devices per household continues to creep up. Each home has just over nine connected devices— from laptops to tablets to smartwatches —that require a stable internet connection. An FTTP connection supports all these devices and ensures each one’s performance isn’t hindered by the volume of devices connected to the same network.

WHY NOW?

The prices of traditional broadband are on the rise, and the era of analogue phone lines is coming to an end. The 2025 ISDN Switch-Off is just four years away, meaning all traditional copper phone lines will be replaced with VoIP, which requires an active internet connection.

Currently, 42 percent of SMEs in the UK still rely on analogue lines to transmit data. For the businesses that don’t upgrade their systems, the Switch-Off is likely to have consequences.

Without a big enough bandwidth to host the VoIP services, businesses will experience poor audio quality or intermittent services that hamper their operations.

So, businesses need to start planning ahead.

Why wait until every business is scrambling to safeguard their connectivity and stay up and running? Why wait until the price of FTTP shoots up due to a surge in urgent demand?

Anticipating these fast-approaching changes and getting the ball rolling will be invaluable to securing a cost-effective and trusted connection before it’s too late.