The Hidden Reason Your Internet Slows Down
If you’ve ever noticed your internet speed dropping at certain times of day, you’ve experienced contention.
It’s one of the most common — and least understood — causes of poor performance in business broadband.
But here’s the good news: leased lines eliminate contention entirely.
In this guide, we’ll explain what contention really means, how it affects performance, and why choosing a leased line guarantees stable, uncontended speeds all day, every day.
What Does “Contention” Mean?
Contention refers to how many users share the same bandwidth on a network.
With broadband, dozens or even hundreds of premises connect through the same local exchange or cabinet.
When everyone’s online at once, that shared bandwidth is split — so each user gets less speed.
This is known as a contention ratio.
A standard business broadband connection might have a contention ratio of 20:1 or even 50:1, meaning 20 to 50 other businesses are sharing the same resources.
When usage peaks, so does congestion — and your connection slows.
Why Broadband Performance Fluctuates
During busy periods (for example, 9am–5pm in business districts or evenings in residential areas), broadband speeds can drop significantly.
That’s because your data is competing with traffic from other users for the same physical capacity.
Even if your broadband is sold as “up to 900 Mb,” you may only achieve half of that during peak hours.
The more users online, the worse it gets — especially for upload speeds, which are given the lowest priority in contended services.
The Leased Line Difference
A leased line changes everything.
It’s a private, point-to-point fibre connection built exclusively for your business.
That means no sharing, no contention, and no slowdowns — ever.
Because your leased line bandwidth is dedicated, the speed you pay for is the speed you get, 24/7.
Whether you’re transferring files, hosting cloud apps, or running VoIP systems, performance remains identical — even during national peak hours.
Every leased line also includes a 99.999 % uptime SLA, meaning reliability is guaranteed in writing.
Understanding “Contention Ratios”
Here’s a simple comparison:
| Connection Type | Contention Ratio | Performance Guarantee |
|---|---|---|
| Home Broadband | 50:1 | None — speeds fluctuate daily |
| Business Broadband | 20:1 | Partial — better but still shared |
| Leased Line | 1:1 | 100 % uncontended, guaranteed |
A 1:1 contention ratio is the gold standard — your bandwidth is reserved purely for you.
That’s why leased lines cost more than broadband: you’re not paying for “speed on paper,” but for guaranteed capacity and uptime.
Why Contention Affects More Than Speed
Slow downloads are frustrating — but for modern businesses, contention creates much bigger problems:
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VoIP and Teams calls drop or stutter.
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Cloud applications lag or time out.
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File transfers take minutes instead of seconds.
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VPN connections become unstable for remote staff.
If your company depends on real-time collaboration or data exchange, these issues translate directly into lost productivity — and potential revenue loss.
Leased Lines for Cloud, Voice, and Data
Because leased lines are uncontended, they provide the foundation for advanced cloud infrastructure.
Applications such as Microsoft 365, Salesforce, and AWS run smoothly even under heavy load.
VoIP systems deliver crystal-clear calls without jitter.
And because upload speeds match download speeds, remote backups, CCTV streaming, and large data transfers all work flawlessly.
Why Businesses Upgrade from Broadband
For small teams, business broadband can seem “good enough.”
But as soon as multiple users stream, upload, or access cloud files simultaneously, contention becomes a real bottleneck.
That’s often the trigger for upgrading to a leased line — not just for speed, but for consistency.
No sharing means no surprises — your bandwidth is always available, guaranteed.
Guaranteed Performance Through SLAs
Unlike broadband, leased lines are governed by Service Level Agreements (SLAs) that set measurable performance standards.
These include guaranteed speeds, uptime (99.999 %), latency, and response times.
If performance ever drops below those levels, your provider must resolve it within hours — not days.
Final Thoughts
Contention is the hidden cost of broadband — but with a leased line, it disappears completely.
You get guaranteed performance, uncontended access, and reliability your business can depend on.
In short:
Broadband is shared. Leased lines are dedicated.
If connectivity matters to your business, that difference is everything.
Read our complete guide to Leased Lines.
FAQ
What does “contention” mean in broadband?
It means your connection shares bandwidth with other users in your area. The more people online, the slower your speeds.
Do leased lines have contention?
No. A leased line gives you a dedicated 1:1 connection, meaning you never share bandwidth with anyone else.
Why are leased lines more expensive than broadband?
Because they’re uncontended and guaranteed by SLAs — you’re paying for private, guaranteed performance, not shared capacity.
