In short: BT Ethernet is BT's family of private data links between sites. Ethernet Connect is a layer 2 Ethernet WAN service, with fibre access at 100Mbps, 1Gbps or 10Gbps, or lower-cost Ethernet over SoGEA and FTTP. Diverse and Diverse Plus add resilience. SHDS Connect uses dedicated optical fibre to link sites in the same town, city or region.
What BT Ethernet is, and what it is not
BT Ethernet carries your traffic between your own sites as if they were on the same local network. Unlike BTnet, it is not internet access. Nothing on an Ethernet circuit reaches the internet unless you route it out through a firewall or an internet line at one of your sites.
That makes Ethernet the right tool when you need to:
- Connect branch offices back to a head office or data centre where your servers, phone system or internet breakout live.
- Join buildings on a campus, or schools in a multi-academy trust, into one network with central filtering and management.
- Replicate data between two data centres, including virtual machine environments split across sites.
- Carry voice, data, video and internet traffic over a single access circuit to cut the number of lines at each site.
For the wider picture across many locations, see multi-site connectivity.
Ethernet Connect: how it works
BT describes Ethernet Connect as a flexible, high-performance layer 2 Ethernet WAN service for sites across the UK and beyond. Layer 2 means whatever you put in at one end comes out at the other, so your own network team controls addressing and routing.
Ethernet Connect has two building blocks:
- BT Ethernet Access: the physical connection from your site to BT's network.
- Ethernet Virtual Connections (EVCs): the logical links that define which sites talk to which. Adding a new site is a matter of adding an access circuit and an EVC.
Two service types are available. E-Line is a point-to-point link between two sites, which BT says gives you protected bandwidth. E-LAN joins many sites so they behave like one network. BT states that both have been certified by the Metro Ethernet Forum to MEF 9 and MEF 14.
Multiple classes of service can run over a single EVC, so you can prioritise voice or critical applications over bulk traffic. BT says frames of up to 9,000 bytes can be supported, depending on what the local access circuit can handle.
Access options and resilience
| Access type | Speeds BT lists | When it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Ethernet over fibre | 100Mbps, 1Gbps or 10Gbps | Head offices, data centres and sites with heavy or critical traffic |
| Ethernet over SoGEA and FTTP | 40Mbps to 1,000Mbps | Smaller sites such as branches, shops and depots, where a full fibre leased line would be more than they need |
Bandwidth on an EVC can be set in small steps up to 1Gbps, and in larger steps from 1Gbps to 10Gbps, so you can match each site's capacity to its need. BT's datasheet says the SoGEA and FTTP access options are more cost-effective to operate and maintain. Because access runs from 10Gbps fibre down to SoGEA, large and small sites can share real-time applications such as card payments and voice across one private network. Read more about SoGEA.
For resilience, BT Ethernet Access offers Diverse and Diverse Plus options to protect critical sites and applications. Which level of diversity is achievable depends on the routes into your building, so it is confirmed at survey.
SHDS Connect for sites close together
SHDS Connect (Short Haul Data Services) is BT's option for linking sites in the same town, city or region. BT's datasheet describes it as dedicated point-to-point optical fibre between your sites, at fixed symmetrical Ethernet speeds of 10Mbps, 100Mbps, 1Gbps or 10Gbps. Data goes in one end and out the other with minimal delay and almost no jitter.
Points worth knowing:
- Because the fibre is dedicated to you, BT charges a fixed price with no usage charges.
- The Ethernet interfaces carry traffic transparently, so the service can handle almost any protocol, including older applications.
- There is a maximum distance between the two sites, which is shorter at 10Gbps. We check your addresses against BT's limits before quoting.
- Resilient options add a second, diversely routed fibre and, at the higher level, separate termination equipment at each end.
- BT's service level guarantee covers on-time delivery and repair within five hours of a total outage. If BT misses either, it refunds part of the connection fee or rental.
- The termination equipment is powered locally, so each end needs dual mains sockets (or a DC power supply), plus a spare socket for test equipment.
SHDS Connect suits two buildings across town, a head office and a nearby warehouse, or a hospital site and an annexe. For sites further apart, Ethernet Connect is the usual choice.
BT Ethernet vs BTnet vs IP Connect
| BT Ethernet | BTnet | IP Connect UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Private links between your sites | Dedicated internet access for one site | Private MPLS IP VPN across many sites |
| Network layer | Layer 2: you control routing | Internet (IP) service | Layer 3: BT routes between sites |
| Internet access | No, unless you route it via another line | Yes | Private network; internet breakout is designed in separately |
| Best for | Two to a handful of sites, data centres, campuses | Head offices and busy single sites | Larger estates that want BT to run the WAN |
A common design uses BTnet at the head office or data centre for internet, with Ethernet links bringing other sites back to it. Larger estates may use IP Connect UK or BT Managed SD-WAN instead.
How we help
Forever Communications Ltd, a BT Business Partner, designs and orders BT Ethernet for organisations linking two or more sites. We map your sites, decide where internet breakout and firewalls should sit, and choose fibre or SoGEA/FTTP access for each location. We also advise on the resilience each site needs. Then we manage the installation and stay your contact afterwards.
Pricing depends on distances, bandwidths, access types and resilience, so ask us for a quote. Contact us with a list of your site addresses.
Why buy BT through Forever Communications
Forever Communications Ltd is a BT Business Partner, supplying BT Business connectivity, voice and mobile services to UK organisations. You get BT's network with a named team who knows your account.
- Impartial advice on the right BT product for each site, from Essential, Enhanced, Pro and Ultra business broadband to BTnet and BT Ethernet
- One point of contact for availability checks, orders, installations, moves, upgrades, faults and renewals
- Ready for the PSTN switch-off: digital phone lines, SoGEA, BT Cloud Voice, BT Cloud Phone and Digital Voice for Business, with your numbers kept where possible
- Multi-site and sector know-how for schools, GP surgeries, retailers, hospitality venues and growing offices
- Mobile and security too: EE Business mobiles from BT Group, Hybrid Backup on the EE Business 4G network, and BT security options alongside our wider Cyber Essentials help
We sell to businesses, schools, charities and public sector organisations. We do not sell consumer or home products.
Want a BT Business quote for your sites?
Tell Forever Communications what you need and we will come back to you by email with options, not a hard sell.
Contact usFrequently asked questions
What is BT Ethernet?
BT Ethernet is BT's family of private data services that link your own sites to each other. Ethernet Connect is a layer 2 Ethernet WAN with fibre or SoGEA/FTTP access, and SHDS Connect links nearby sites over dedicated optical fibre. Neither is internet access in itself.
What is the difference between Ethernet and a leased line?
Ethernet services are a type of leased line. In BT's range, BTnet is the leased line for internet access, while BT Ethernet services privately connect your sites. Both use dedicated circuits.
Can BT Ethernet run over SoGEA or FTTP?
Yes. BT offers Ethernet Connect access over SoGEA and FTTP at speeds from 40Mbps up to 1,000Mbps. It is a lower-cost way to bring smaller sites onto the same private network as larger ones on fibre access.
What is the difference between E-Line and E-LAN?
E-Line is a point-to-point Ethernet link between two sites. E-LAN connects multiple sites so they work like a single local network. Ethernet Connect supports both, with multiple classes of service.
What is SHDS Connect?
SHDS Connect (Short Haul Data Services) is BT's dedicated point-to-point optical fibre service for sites in the same town, city or region, at speeds of 10Mbps, 100Mbps, 1Gbps or 10Gbps.