On the 19th of April we announced a Milton Keynes based trial to extend the reach of Broadband ADSL services to many of those who currently cannot receive broadband. We also said we expected the trial to pave the way to bringing a million more UK homes and businesses within the reach of broadband.

Is this a trial or what?

Yes, this is a trial but we hope it will pave the way for longer reach broadband service across the country. Research by BT Exact has indicated that many of those previously outside the reach of broadband might now be able to get service but we have to gather the performance data from this trial to establish what any new limits might be. It is therefore not a trial of a new product, but a trial to establish at what distance the product can perform reliably.

In fact we plan to test the performance of 512Kb/second broadband products on lines in the 01908 area – no matter the length. Previously when we extended reach it was done in incremental stages based on the signal loss on the lines, from approximately 3.5km to 5.5km to 6km. We’re opening up the trial to any line in the 01908 area no matter what the length so we can establish exactly what the cut-off would be for reliable broadband service. Some people with the longest lines will not be able to get reliable broadband service but we need to test these lines to establish the limits.

So, if it’s a trial will I have to pay?

This will depend on the individual ISP (Internet Service Provider). The trial is being run by BT Wholesale. BT Wholesale has costs associated with providing service and are charging ISPs (Internet Service Providers) the normal network connection and monthly rental charges where broadband service is successfully provided. This does not cover the additional costs of running the trial.

Involvement in the trial may also mean some additional costs for participating ISPs as order processes will have to be handled manually. Individual ISPs will decide if their standard charges will apply for providing broadband service during the trial.

Importantly the trial is only open to those with numbers starting with 01908 who have gone to a broadband availability number checker and been returned a response stating they can’t currently get broadband due to their line length. To find out if you can get broadband check your number at your chosen ISP site or visit http://www.bt.com/broadband

What actually happens?

On the 11th of May, BT will publish an initial list of participating ISPs. Further ISPs are in discussion with BT and are expected to confirm their participation in the trial shortly. Details will be published on this site when their participation is confirmed. You the customer will then be able to order broadband from your preferred supplier on the list. The ISP will then dispatch your self install broadband kit, broadband activation date and instructions. In the background BT will activate your line for broadband.

If it doesn’t work, don’t worry. Contact your ISP who will take you through some preliminary checks. If these checks fail to identify the problem, your ISP will contact BT. BT are expecting some initial failures and have a specialist team of field engineers ready to try to resolve the problem.

What the BT engineer does

The BT engineer will run further specialised tests which may include correcting any internal wiring issues and fit a face plate to the main telephone socket in your home or office if appropriate. Essentially the engineer is there to try* to complete your broadband installation and you will not be charged for this additional work. (*We cannot guarantee the engineer will be able to ensure you have broadband.)

If the engineer has had to install a faceplate which now means you cannot have broadband on your existing extension sockets, the engineer will run up to 30 metres of CAT 5 cabling to the required location. (In other words if your main socket is not in an area convenient for plugging a computer in.) All of this work will be carried out free of charge during the trial.

Coming soon: a diagram of a main telephone socket and the new faceplate fitting.

What if it doesn’t work?

If despite all of our efforts, it doesn’t work, unfortunately BT will have to cease the service and will notify your ISP.

If BT are unable to provide reliable broadband service, we will refund your ISP. Individual ISP policies on refunding customers may vary depending on their customer terms and conditions.

When does it start?

• 11th May - BT publish an initial list of participating ISP for you to choose from
   
• 17th May - ISPs will be able to forward advance orders to BT which will enable us to switch the first trial customers on from the 1st of June. Your ISP will confirm your line’s broadband activation date.
   
• 1st June trial starts
   
• End of September trial ends

What if as a result of all this my neighbour can still get broadband and I can’t or vice versa?

This is an unlikely outcome given the intensive scrutiny all 01908 numbers will be under during the trial. However, we anticipate that a small proportion of people will still not be able to receive broadband and may have to rely on alternative solutions to ADSL broadband.

What about getting the 1Mb/sec and 2Mb/sec products?

1Mb/sec and 2Mb/sec products will not be part of the Milton Keynes trial.
This trial will help to establish a new set of parameters for the distance (and decibel loss) at which the 512kb/sec ADSL broadband service can be reliably provided.