Backup Internet Connection

[JonnyAlpha]

We are currently in a two year Startlink Trial and have been advised that, as it is a trial we get a backup line. I also understand that for many schools a backup FTTC line is a good idea.

So I have started making enquiries using Everything ICT (Gov procurement framework) and Schools Broadband. 
 

I have also been advised to look at BT, Talk Talk and Airband etc.

 

What is confusing me is that I went on the BT Business Broadband Site and get quotes of around £30 per month?
if this is possible, why the ?? do we pay around £2.5 - £3k for an Internet connection - surely it’s not all for the Firewall and Filtering? We have a separate Firewall and Filter with Smoothwall can’t recall how much - maybe £500? 
 

So can we get a cheap FTTC backup connection from one of the high street providers, or is there a catch? 
 

many thanks 

 

 

[rogerdnixon]

Some of our primaries are on FTTC where they can get it. Typically BT business with a static IP (needed for Securly filtering) and a UDM Pro for a Firewall. Works great 900 down and 110 up. We also have a 5G connection from Three as a backup for about £12.50 a month.

 

Otherwise its leased lines or in our case Gigaclear.

[Edu-IT]

Some of the cost will be for the service level agreement - how quick things are resolved when there's a problem.

[sigma]

 

On 27/06/2025 at 16:28, JonnyAlpha said:

What is confusing me is that I went on the BT Business Broadband Site and get quotes of around £30 per month?
if this is possible, why the ?? do we pay around £2.5 - £3k for an Internet connection - surely it’s not all for the Firewall and Filtering? We have a separate Firewall and Filter with Smoothwall can’t recall how much - maybe £500? 
 

So can we get a cheap FTTC backup connection from one of the high street providers, or is there a catch? 
 

many thanks 

 

If you are already coving all the bases, KCSIE and DfE mandatory guidance, and can reconfigure your backup line to meet those standards should you switch to it, I can’t see a catch. 

[timbo343]

On 27/06/2025 at 16:28, JonnyAlpha said:

We are currently in a two year Startlink Trial and have been advised that, as it is a trial we get a backup line. I also understand that for many schools a backup FTTC line is a good idea.

So I have started making enquiries using Everything ICT (Gov procurement framework) and Schools Broadband. 
 

I have also been advised to look at BT, Talk Talk and Airband etc.

 

What is confusing me is that I went on the BT Business Broadband Site and get quotes of around £30 per month?
if this is possible, why the ?? do we pay around £2.5 - £3k for an Internet connection - surely it’s not all for the Firewall and Filtering? We have a separate Firewall and Filter with Smoothwall can’t recall how much - maybe £500? 
 

So can we get a cheap FTTC backup connection from one of the high street providers, or is there a catch? 
 

many thanks 

 

 

In answer to your question, yes, you can. The DfE requirements state you should have a second line and it doesn't have to be at the speeds of your master line and can be from anyone.

 

You could run your master line through BT, TalkTalkBusiness, Zen, Zzoomm, etc but you'll probably have a high concentation ratio or your support / time to fix will be longer.

 

We have 2 lines, but dont really have a "master" line at the moment. We have a TalkTalkBusiness line at 900mb down and 110mb up and NyNet line at 250mb down and 200mb up, soon to be increasing to 1gb down and up so that will become our "master" line. We even had a Zen VDSL line at 40 / 10 at one time but dropped it when we got the TTB 900/110 FTTP line.

[Fazza]

On 27/06/2025 at 16:28, JonnyAlpha said:

What is confusing me is that I went on the BT Business Broadband Site and get quotes of around £30 per month?
if this is possible, why the ?? do we pay around £2.5 - £3k for an Internet connection - surely it’s not all for the Firewall and Filtering? We have a separate Firewall and Filter with Smoothwall can’t recall how much - maybe £500?

 

20:1 contention ratio on a typical Virgin Media Business Broadband account but 1:1 on a £2,500 leased line.  Also a 1:1 leased line should have the same upload speed as the download which is not necessarily the case with non leased lines.

Edited June 30, 2025 by Fazza

[nicholab]

If you have your own filtering and firewall, you can connect via any kind of FTTP should be fine at the end of the day it backup.   The firewall configuration is where you can put weighting on your two internet connections.

[Simon_EXA]

Our recommendation in the ideal scenario is to have a Primary Leased line that has symmetrical bandwidth, is capable of going up to 1 Gbps, is not contended and has a good SLA  included. As an ISP with our own 'IP Space' we can then deliver if available FTTP as an autofailover to the primary connection. If you can not get FTTP yet then FTTC can be used in the same way and then upgraded to FTTP when FTTP reaches you. Typical cost for a back up FTTP/FTTC are going to be around £450/£650 a year. While Starlink can be seen as cheaper there will always be configuration issues and if it goes down can be difficult to configure an autofailover that still maintains the other services that you have. These risks can be mitigated if you have something like an SDWAN which can be configured to accommodate the routing of traffic. On the cost of back ups specifically the assumption is that you wont be using it which cost the provider less (no traffic moving through a network). The provider is assuming it will only be active when the primary fails. Hope that helps a bit?

Edited June 30, 2025 by Simon_EXA

[yac2016]

On 27/06/2025 at 16:28, JonnyAlpha said:

We are currently in a two year Startlink Trial and have been advised that, as it is a trial we get a backup line. I also understand that for many schools a backup FTTC line is a good idea.

So I have started making enquiries using Everything ICT (Gov procurement framework) and Schools Broadband. 
 

I have also been advised to look at BT, Talk Talk and Airband etc.

 

What is confusing me is that I went on the BT Business Broadband Site and get quotes of around £30 per month?
if this is possible, why the ?? do we pay around £2.5 - £3k for an Internet connection - surely it’s not all for the Firewall and Filtering? We have a separate Firewall and Filter with Smoothwall can’t recall how much - maybe £500? 
 

So can we get a cheap FTTC backup connection from one of the high street providers, or is there a catch? 
 

many thanks 

 

 

FTTC is generally cheap and the same from everyone not much of a SLA from Openreach, you usually need a modem and away you go.

Whole sale FTTC is like £25 a month, the additional cost on a school level broadband line is for the firewall and filtering and support.

[JonnyAlpha]

As we don't have FTTP in the area, we have asked to reconnect the FTTC line. We are now also being told the FTTC lines cannot be re-sold, as they are being disconinued and therefore will need an SoGEA line?

 

 

[yac2016]

Yes SoGEA is practically the same without the ISDN line so thats not a problem.  I am used to calling it FTTC.

[Wave9_Lee]

Assuming you have local firewall/filtering or true cloud, it's fine to go direct with a backup connection, but just be aware of some of the pros and cons.  We provide a backup connection using premium wholesale services with low contention or prioritised traffic.  We include project management for installation - (increasingly important for FttP as schools are now classified as business premises with an uplifted installation charge, as well as varying levels of installation services excluded) In addition we offer enhanced support (20 hour fix) or critical support (6 hour fix) which attracts a premium price.  We can ensure, as per DFE guidelines that the main and backup connection are using differnet technologies and importantly, ISP nodes (not much of a backup if both links ternminate in the same locations/pops/DCs).  In addition, there is the benefit of one help desk for both connections, (and firewall/filtering if taken), one bill and relationship.  No need for credit card or direct debit. Management of failover and load-balancing is in our scope so you have end-to-end service wrap.  SLA to cover all elements and pro-active 24x7 monitoring.  Onshore support with direct access to 2nd/3rd line engineer.  Like many products/services, the reason for price differences become evident when something goes wrong : )

 

Caveat emptor!

Edited July 1, 2025 by Wave9_Lee