The Cheapest Leased Line in the UK: How to Actually Get One
There is no single cheapest provider. Price is set by whose fibre already reaches your building, the term you sign and whether construction is needed. Here is where the low prices really come from, and the traps that make a cheap quote expensive.
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Key Facts
Quick answer
The cheapest leased line in the UK is whichever carrier already has fibre at or near your building. On-net, that usually means an alt-net such as CityFibre or Virgin Media Business, with 100Mbps from about £69 a month and 1Gbps from about £129 on 36-month terms. Off-net, construction charges decide the price, not the rate card. The cheap way to buy is to compare every carrier that reaches your postcode, take a 36-month term, and pick the speed you need now with an upgrade path, not the lowest headline price.
Where the Cheapest Leased Line Prices Come From
| Feature | Alt-net on-nete.g. CityFibre via partners | Virgin Media Business on-netOwn network | Openreach-basedBT and many resellers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical starting price | 1Gbps from about £129/mo | 100Mbps from about £69/mo; 1Gbps from about £129/mo | Usually higher; varies widely by reseller |
| Where it is cheapest | Inside the alt-net's city footprint | Where Virgin's network already passes the building | Rural sites and areas no one else reaches |
| Construction charge risk | Low on-net, high just outside the footprint | Low on-net, steep off-net | Depends on distance to the nearest fibre node |
| Install lead time | Shorter end of 30–90 working days on-net | Shorter end on-net | 30–90 working days |
| Coverage | 60+ towns and cities | Urban and suburban | Effectively national |
| Uptime SLA | 99.95%–99.99% | 99.95%–99.99% | 99.95%–99.99% |
When the Cheapest Option Is the Right One
Go for the lowest price if...
Your site is on-net to an alt-net or Virgin, you need one site connected, and a standard SLA is enough. In those cases the cheapest compliant quote is usually also a good line - the fibre is already there, so you are not paying for construction.
Pay a little more if...
The cheapest quote is from a carrier that is off-net and needs construction, it shares a duct with your backup line, or its repair terms are much weaker. A slightly higher monthly price on a line that is already in the street often costs less over 36 months than a cheap rate plus excess construction charges.
The three things that set your price
First, distance to the nearest fibre: an on-net building costs far less than one that needs new duct and cable, which is where excess construction charges come from. Second, term: 36-month contracts carry the lowest monthly prices, and shorter terms cost more. Third, speed and bearer: a 1Gbps bearer running at a lower speed lets you upgrade without a new install. Compare all three across carriers, not just the headline monthly figure.
See excess construction charge dataThe AMVIA Recommendation
The AMVIA Recommendation
Don't search for the cheapest provider; search for the cheapest route to your building. We check every carrier with fibre near your postcode, show each quote with its construction charges and lead time side by side, and flag when a cheap rate hides an expensive build. If a business-grade FTTP line meets your needs, we will say so - it can cost far less than a leased line for a small office.
Compare every carrier at my postcodeSearches for the cheapest leased line usually start with a league table of providers. That is the wrong place to start. A leased line is built to your address, so the cheapest provider for one building can be the most expensive two streets away. What makes a line cheap is whether a carrier's fibre already reaches you. The UK Business Connectivity Pricing Index publishes the quoted-price spread by region and speed if you want to see how wide that range really is.
Why on-net is the whole game
When a carrier already has fibre in your street or building, connecting you is mostly a short tail and some equipment. When it does not, someone has to dig, lay duct and pull cable, and that cost lands on you as an excess construction charge or a higher monthly rental. Alt-nets such as CityFibre and Virgin Media Business's own network are often the cheapest options in the areas they cover because they price aggressively to fill fibre they have already built. Openreach reaches almost everywhere, which makes it the default in rural areas, but resellers' prices on the same Openreach route can vary a lot.
How to get the cheapest leased line without the traps
- Check every carrier at your postcode. A single provider can only quote its own routes. A multi-carrier check shows who is on-net.
- Get construction charges in writing before you sign. A low monthly rate with an open-ended build charge is not cheap. Read our excess construction charge data.
- Take a 36-month term if you can. It carries the lowest monthly price; shorter terms cost more per month.
- Buy the bearer, not just the speed. A 1Gbps bearer at 200Mbps lets you upgrade later without a new install.
- Check repair terms. Uptime percentages look identical across carriers; time to repair and service credits are where cheap products cut corners.
When a leased line is not the cheapest answer
For a small office that needs fast, reliable internet but not guaranteed symmetric bandwidth, business-grade full fibre (FTTP) can do the job for much less. Compare the two in our leased line vs FTTP guide. If you need uncontended bandwidth, VoIP quality or an SLA with fixed repair times, a leased line is still the right buy. Our leased line prices by speed page and the business leased line cost guide cover the full price picture.
Find the cheapest route to your building
Enter your business postcode and pick a speed - we check every carrier with fibre nearby and show you the cheapest compliant quote, construction charges included.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no single cheapest provider. The cheapest leased line for your business is the one from a carrier whose fibre already reaches your building. Where an alt-net or Virgin Media Business is on-net, 100Mbps starts from about £69 a month and 1Gbps from about £129 on 36-month terms. Off-net, construction charges decide the price.
It depends on your postcode. In CityFibre cities, partners selling CityFibre often quote the lowest 1Gbps prices. Where Virgin Media Business passes the building, its on-net pricing is hard to beat. In rural areas, an Openreach-based reseller is usually the only option, and prices on the same route vary between resellers. Comparing every carrier at your address is the only reliable way to find the cheapest.
Compare every carrier at your postcode, choose a 36-month term, avoid quotes with open-ended construction charges, and pick a bearer you can upgrade rather than overbuying speed now. Bundling a backup line on a different network can also cost less than paying for enhanced repair on a single line.
Not necessarily. On-net lines are cheap because the fibre is already built, not because the service is worse. Uptime SLAs of 99.95% to 99.99% are standard across the market. Check time to repair, service credits and whether the line shares a route with your backup before choosing on price alone.
The big one is excess construction charges, which apply when a carrier has to build fibre to reach you. Others include installation fees on short terms, router or managed-service add-ons, and early termination charges. Ask for every one-off and recurring charge in writing before you sign.
Usually yes. Business-grade FTTP costs far less than a leased line, but it is shared rather than dedicated, and repair terms are weaker. For a small office it can be enough. If you need guaranteed symmetric bandwidth, VoIP quality at scale or fixed repair times, a leased line is the better buy.
Find the Cheapest Leased Line for Your Building
We check every carrier with fibre near your postcode and show each price with construction charges and lead time, typically within 24 hours. No obligation.
Related Resources
Leased Line Prices by Speed
100Mbps from £69, 1Gbps from £129, 10Gbps from £349 a month on 36-month terms.
Out of Contract on Your Leased Line?
Most leased lines keep running at the old rental after the minimum term. How to renegotiate or switch.
Business Leased Line Cost Guide
What moves the price of a UK leased line, with dated market data.
UK Leased Line Providers Compared
BT, Virgin, CityFibre, Vodafone, TalkTalk, Colt and Zayo: where each is strong.
Leased Line vs FTTP
When business full fibre is enough and when you need a dedicated line.
Excess Construction Charges
Live data on the build charges that make a cheap quote expensive.
Get a Leased Line Quote
Multi-carrier comparison for your exact address, typically within 24 hours.