Failover and Hot-Swap Backup
Keep trading when your main line fails. Automatic failover, hot-swap backup and bonding over 4G, 5G and satellite, matched to how much downtime you can accept.
A line outage should not close the business
Most businesses rely on a single broadband line or leased line. When it goes down, so do card payments, phones, cloud software and remote access. With the copper phone network being switched off, even alarm lines and phones now depend on that same connection.
Backup broadband adds a second, independent path. When the main line drops, traffic moves to the backup automatically. When the main line returns, it moves back.
Three levels of resilience
Failover
The backup link waits on standby. When the main line fails, the router brings it into use, typically within seconds. The simplest and lowest-cost option.
Hot-swap backup
The backup link is kept connected and ready at all times, so switchover is close to instant. Suits card payments, phones and anything where a pause of several seconds is a problem.
Bonding
All links carry traffic at once through a bonding service. If one drops, sessions carry on over the rest. See bonded connectivity.
How failover works
The router watches the main line
It checks the connection constantly, not just whether the cable is plugged in.
It detects a failure
If the main line stops passing traffic, the router marks it as down.
Backup takes over
Traffic moves to 4G, 5G or satellite, typically within seconds.
It switches back
When the main line is healthy again, traffic returns to it automatically.
Choosing the backup path
| 4G/5G backup | Satellite backup | |
|---|---|---|
| Independence from your main line | High, uses mobile networks | Very high, no local cabling or masts |
| Needs | Usable mobile signal | Clear view of the sky |
| Running cost | Lower | Higher |
| Good for | Most offices and shops | Critical sites and poor mobile signal areas |
For sites where downtime is expensive, satellite as primary with 4G/5G as backup, or a leased line with both, gives three independent paths.
What keeps working
- Card payments and tills
- Hosted phones and Teams calls
- Cloud software, email and file access
- CCTV uploads and remote monitoring
Pricing. 4G/5G backup for an existing line from £TBC per month. Satellite with 4G/5G backup from £TBC per month. See full pricing.
Common questions
Will calls drop when it fails over?
With standard failover, a call in progress may drop during the switch. Hot-swap backup shortens the gap, and bonding keeps calls up because the session never moves off the bonded connection.
Can we keep our existing router?
Sometimes. Many business routers support a second connection. If yours does not, we supply a failover router that sits alongside your current setup.
How much data does backup use?
Very little while it is on standby. During an outage it carries your normal traffic, so we size the data plan for how long outages typically last at your site.
Get a price for your site
Send us the postcode and what you need. We check coverage and reply with a firm price, usually within one working day.
- Phone 0203 488 8439
- Email hello@iotinix.com