How much a leased
line costs in the UK
Typical UK market rates sit between £150 and £500 a month for 100Mbps to 1Gbps, with 10Gbps higher and install often tied to the contract you sign.
The short answer
A UK business leased line typically costs £150 to £500 a month. That's a typical UK market range on a 36-month term, not a Wanzo quote. Advertised 100Mbps prices can start near £100 in well-connected cities, though most quotes land between £150 and £280. 1Gbps more commonly costs £250 to £500. 10Gbps usually starts around £500 and can exceed £1,200. Speed, bearer, location and contract length all move the monthly figure. Install may be included, or billed separately.
What the market charges
100Mbps circuit
£150–£280 a month excl. VAT
Smaller offices that need dedicated bandwidth for cloud software, calls and day-to-day file transfer.
- •Symmetric 100Mbps upload and download
- •Usually priced on a 36-month term
- •Install frequently included on that term
1Gbps circuit
£250–£500 a month excl. VAT
Busier offices moving large files, running business VoIP and keeping cloud systems in use all day.
- •1Gbps committed speed on a 1Gbps bearer
- •Speed upgrades possible without a new install
- •Usually quoted on a 36-month term
10Gbps circuit
£500–£1,200 a month excl. VAT
Hub sites, data-heavy teams and organisations that already know 1Gbps will not cover peak demand.
- •10Gbps bearer and committed speed
- •Suited to heavy cloud and backup traffic
- •Quotes vary sharply by building and city
These are typical UK market ranges, not a Wanzo quote. Our own plans are here.
What moves the price
Committed speed
The bandwidth you buy is the first price lever. 100Mbps sits at the lower end of the UK market. 1Gbps costs more each month. 10Gbps is a further step, and the jump is larger outside well-served cities.
Bearer size
Bearer is the physical circuit capacity. A 100Mbps service on a 1Gbps bearer costs more than the same speed on a smaller bearer, but you can raise speed later without a new install. A 10Gbps bearer is priced as a different product.
Install and civils
Standard connection work is often bundled into a 36-month price, which is why many quotes show £0 install. If the building needs extra fibre or street works, excess construction charges can add a one-off bill of several thousand pounds.
Contract length
Twelve-month terms cost more each month and often carry an install fee. Thirty-six months is the usual UK quote, and the point where install is most often included. Sixty months can lower the rental, with more left to pay if you exit early.
What people get caught by
- From prices assume a straightforward Openreach connection. A survey can reveal excess construction charges that the headline monthly figure never showed.
- Leave early and you'll usually pay the remaining rental. A cheap 60-month rate becomes expensive if you move office in year two.
- Quoted monthly rates are usually excluding VAT. Add 20%, so a £300 circuit is £360, before you compare it with another offer.
- The router, monitoring and a managed firewall are not always in the circuit price. Ask what the monthly figure actually covers before you sign.
Questions people ask
How much does a 1Gbps leased line cost in the UK?
A 1Gbps leased line in the UK typically costs £250 to £500 a month on a 36-month term. Those figures are typical UK market rates, not a Wanzo quote. Fibre-rich cities, especially London, sit towards the lower end. Harder-to-reach buildings cost more, and a 10Gbps bearer under the same 1Gbps speed will raise the rental. Install is often included at 36 months. Get the excess construction position in writing before you treat the monthly figure as the full cost.
What is a leased line bearer and how does it affect price?
The bearer is the physical capacity of the fibre circuit into the building, commonly 1Gbps or 10Gbps. The speed you buy sits on top of that bearer. A 100Mbps service on a 1Gbps bearer costs more than the same 100Mbps on a smaller bearer because the circuit itself is larger. The trade-off is an easier speed upgrade later, without waiting for a new install. If you take 1Gbps on a 10Gbps bearer, you're paying for capacity you are not using yet.
Is leased line installation free in the UK?
It's often presented as free on a 36-month contract, and many UK quotes do include standard connection work in the monthly rental. That isn't the same as a guaranteed zero bill. Twelve-month terms more often carry an install charge, commonly a few hundred to around £2,000. If Openreach or the carrier has to build extra fibre to the premises, excess construction charges sit outside that free-install offer and can run to thousands. Confirm both the standard install and any construction exposure before you order.
How long is a leased line contract in the UK?
Most UK leased line quotes are for 36 months. This is the term where monthly rental is competitive and standard install is most likely to be included. Twelve-month contracts exist, but you'll usually pay more each month and may face an install fee. Sixty-month terms can reduce the rental further. Lead time from order to live service is often 8 to 12 weeks when the building already has a suitable fibre path. Wayleave permission from a landlord can add weeks before that clock starts.
Other cost guides
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