EFM stands for Ethernet in the First Mile, it provides a reliable high-speed Internet connection. Traditionally businesses had the choice between a standard ADSL service and fibre-based Ethernet services.
Unfortunately, some businesses find ADSL is not fast enough for their needs, whereas fibre-based Ethernet services are expensive. EFM is in-between these two services. Many businesses are switching to EFM connectivity for a faster, assured connection of up to 20Mbps at a far lower cost than legacy technologies.
What is the first mile?
The first mile is simply an industry term for the connection between your premises and the exchange. It is termed “the first mile” because it is the first part of your connection with the wider network. Most properties have a copper pair connecting them to the local exchange.
Copper pairs
A copper pair is what most telephone networks use. Properties usually have a copper pair providing telephone and Internet services to the premises. When you order EFM, this will not be touched. Instead, Openreach installs extra copper pairs into your property.
What is the benefit of installing these extra lines?
There are many benefits to using multiple copper pairs. Firstly, the service is more reliable. If one of the copper wires failed, there are other lines to continue your Internet service, it will simply run slower until the faulty wire is fixed.
Secondly, you’ll increase the speed of your Internet connection, as you are using more wires and increasing the available bandwidth. Speeds are also symmetrical, so unlike a standard ADSL connection, you get the same speeds uploading as you do downloading, making the perfect solution for VPN, VoIP and video because there is no loss of voice quality or buffering issues that can be experienced with standard broadband.
EFM is ideal if you are:
- Looking for an upgrade from SDSL or Leased Lines
- Looking for a lower-cost alternative to legacy technologies
- You need more speed and capacity to upload/ download large files more quickly and access bandwidth-hungry services such as video streaming and cloud solutions
Your next step
Talk to one of our team today at 0800 50 533 50 about switching your current service over to EFM today.
