If it’s time to upgrade your connectivity services, it’s easy to be put off by thoughts of complicated processes and inconvenient losses of connection during installation. That’s why we’ve put together a short guide to upgrading connectivity services – lead times are often much shorter than expected, and we can usually do most of the work for you.
To help you decide on the best digital services for your business, it’s important to understand your digital services – and when it’s worth making improvements. Whether you’re upgrading or recontracting your broadband connection, or pondering cloud communication, you can read about each process in detail below.
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FTTP offers a fully fibre optic connection from telephone exchange right to your premises. Offering ultrafast speeds and a reliable connection, FTTP is popular with both businesses and domestic users alike.
FTTP, or fibre to the premises, delivers even faster speeds than FTTC. FTTP is a full fibre connection, replacing all the copper wiring that links your premises to the main telephone exchange. Usually favoured by small and medium businesses, FTTP provides an ultrafast, reliable broadband connection.
If you’re upgrading to FTTP, you’ll need an optical network terminal – or ONT. Depending on whether you need to have an ONT installed, or you already have an existing ONT on your premises from previous residents or suppliers, the installation process will vary.
Access to your premises will be required to replace the existing master phone socket with an FTTP compatible ONT. If your business is the first in the area to adopt FTTP, resides in a listed building, or requires access to third-party land for installation, a survey must be taken first. This will be arranged by us with our supplier, Openreach.
If you have an existing ONT, this speeds up the process. We can contact the previous supplier to arrange the changeover, or you’ll need to provide details of your ONT if there wasn’t a previous supplier.
Once your new FTTP is successfully connected, your existing ADSL or FTTC connection will usually be terminated. We will assist with the
If you have a suitable ONT already installed on your premises, the swap should only take around seven working days. If you need a new ONT, the process will take around four weeks from start to finish. Remember though that your current connection will continue in the meantime.
The fastest connection available, Ethernet lines are popular with businesses of all sizes, providing persistent connection at unbeatable speeds.
Ethernet leased lines provide the ultimate connection speeds, thanks to dedicated lines connecting your premises directly to the internet. Upload and download speeds are the same (the connection is symmetrical), making it an advantage for businesses who are heavily reliant on online services (including lots of uploads). It’s a fantastic option for those working with cloud communications and services.
There are a few different Ethernet upgrades on the market, especially for businesses. For example, we offer Fibre Ethernet and Ethernet over FTTC (EoFTTC)). Whichever Ethernet upgrade you choose, the installation process is likely similar.
Often, Ethernet installation does involve construction in and around your premises in order to successfully implement direct lines. This will involve providing work access, asbestos certificates and information about terminals on-site. Sometimes, additional construction charges may be incurred – with Zen, we’ll cover up to £2,800 if this is the case.
After the installation process is finished, you’ll need a new block of IPs. IP addresses from previous ADSL, FTTC and FTTP lines can’t be copied over. We’ll support you with this process.
When implementing Ethernet lines, lead times can widely vary depending on the construction needed within your premises. As a general guide, you should allow up to 65 working days for complete activation.
Switching from a traditional phone line to digital voice instantly improves the connectivity and communication capabilities within your business.
Upgrading to digital voice services from traditional copper telephone lines opens up a world of useful new features. With digital voice, your broadband and telephone connections become integrated, allowing you to access your phone lines via the internet, from anywhere in the world.
When upgrading to digital voice (DV) services, you’ll need to complete a Letter of Authority (LOA) to establish the official proof of permission necessary. At Zen, our customer service team can help you complete this form – you’ll just need to ensure you provide accurate information.
In terms of transition, we will take care of the move for you. Switching from traditional phone line - such as integrated services digital network (ISDN) or public switched telephone network (PSTN) - to DV services like session initiation protocol (SIP), cloud communications or voice over internet protocol (VoIP) simply requires a change in equipment. With Zen, we’ll ensure a smooth transition as we calibrate your new devices for you.
Switching from traditional phone lines to digital voice takes around 24 hours, but during this time phone systems will be down. However, we can implement temporary call diversions to keep you in the loop.
Usually an attractive option to smaller businesses, FTTC offers superfast connection speeds, available to both commercial and domestic premises.
Fibre to the cabinet broadband, also known as FTTC, can provide faster speeds than ADSL, making it a great choice for small businesses. It uses a combination of traditional copper phone lines and fibre cable to deliver a strong, stable connection. FTTC is now available to the majority of premises in the UK.
FTTC is usually implemented as an upgrade from asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) broadband, in which the process is mostly remote. The copper wiring that connects your local cabinet to your premises remains in place. Only the line that connects your local cabinet to the main telephone exchange is, or will be replaced by, fibre optic cabling.
It’ll take around 10-15 working days to complete the upgrade. You’ll only experience a break in service on the day of the upgrade, which should only last around two hours. There is a very slight chance of a potential delay to your order due to capacity issues, as cabinets have a limited number of fibre compatible ports. If demand for fibre in your area is high, you may have to be added to a waiting list before FTTC can be connected.
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For more useful information about digital services, for both small and large businesses, make sure to take advantage of the articles and resources over on the ThoughtHub. If it’s time to upgrade your connectivity services, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our helpful team.
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