Milton Keynes Broadband Action Group

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Milton Keynes BT Trial

If you have a 01908 number - join the trial! Unsure how to proceed? Try the "How To" guide.

How to join the Trial

We have a list of participating ISPs. Each ISP will know about the trial. Choose your ISP from the list, and contact them directly.

Keep informed by joining the Milton Keynes Broadband Action Group. Fill in the registration form here. No details are given to third parties.

BT have now started to connect people. Initially there will be 50 connections a week, ramping up to 100 a week.

Try the "How To" guide.

Updates

27th July 2004
BT Business Broadband has also stopped taking orders for the extended reach trial. (The trial itself continues as planned until the end of September.)
 
26th July 2004

BT requested that I publish the following announcement:
 

Important Billing Announcement for BT Broadband and BT Yahoo! Broadband Trial Customers

Please rest assured that the extended reach trial is free to BT Broadband and BT Yahoo! Broadband trial customers, although our billing systems are a little complex. Please read on.

BT Broadband Trial Customers - in the majority of cases a charge for your broadband service is raised on your next invoice and a corresponding refund adjustment is also shown on the bill, directly beneath the original charge. This adjustment is shown as a "refund of rental for BTBB" with identical dates etc. to those you appear to have been charged for. However, in a small number of cases the charging and refunding process get slightly out of sync and a bill is sent to you before the refund can be shown. But don't worry, the correct refunds will appear.

Likewise, if you have signed up to e-billing (Online Billing) you will be able to view your bill before we've adjusted it. But if you continue to check it, you'll eventually see the amended bill.

In other words, you do not need to do anything, your bill will be refunded automatically.

BT Yahoo! Broadband Trial Customers - our billing processes mean that you are charged for the modem (if applicable) and the first months service via your chosen payment method (credit card or Direct Debit). But rest assured that these charges will be refunded via your payment method. You do not need to do anything, your account/card will be refunded automatically.

-.-

Please remember the trial is free only until 30/9/04. At this point you will be able to stop your broadband service if you choose - or continue with it as a paying customer. Further communication will be sent out closer to the trial end date.

Thank you for participating in the trial.
23rd July 2004

Extended Reach Trial Update from BT, week ending 23rd July: Following on from BT's announcement on the 30th of June, we reiterate; the initial results from the Milton Keynes trial and two smaller trials in Scotland (Ft. William and Dingwall) are looking very promising.

The purpose of these trials has been to extend the reach of broadband beyond its current limit which is roughly 6km. In other words, if your telephone line's length from the exchange to your premises is longer that 6km, we've been unable to ensure reliable broadband, and has excluded a number of people from the service.

However, as a result of the trial data coming in, we're confident that we will find a way, over this summer, to extend the reach of broadband ADSL services to over a million more homes and businesses throughout the UK. This will have a very significant and positive impact in Milton Keynes. The trial is still in progress and will end of the 30th of Sept.

We will keep you informed of developments as they arise. Thank you for your participation and patience.
21st July 2004
BT Broadband and BT Yahoo! Broadband have both stopped taking orders for the extended reach trial. (The trial itself continues as planned until the end of September.)

Tiscali applied to join the trial and then failed to process any orders, which has led to confusion and dissatisfaction. I have removed Tiscali from the ISP list.  
18th June 2004
Further BT Questions and Answers posted.
7th June 2004
Members are getting Broadband.
3rd June 2004
BT Questions and Answers posted.
21st May 2004
BT's "Long Reach Trial Communications." The second issue is here.
17th May 2004
BT Questions and Answers posted.
11th May 2004
MK Trial: Participating ISPs announced.
7th May 2004
BT's "Long Reach Trial Communications." The first issue is here.
We have now received answers from BT to questions submitted on 30th April 2004.

How to join the Trial

Try the "How To" guide.

We have a list of participating ISPs. Each ISP will know about the trial. Choose your ISP from the list, and contact them directly.

Keep informed by joining the Milton Keynes Broadband Action Group. Fill in the registration form here. No details are given to third parties.

BT have now started to connect people. Initially there will be 50 connections a week, ramping up to 100 a week.

Try the "How To" guide.

BT Checker - a caution!

As soon as you have applied to the trial - ignore the BT on-line checker! Your ISP and BT will advise you of progress.

The BT on-line checker is changed to "should" once BT have confirmed the line is "too long", to allow the "too long" orders to go through. If you then try to order through the normally channels, your line would have been turned back as "too long". Anyone leaving the trial would also find his number returned to the correct reading, "too long".

What should I do if my Broadband Connection doesn't work?

If your Broadband Connection doesn't work, or is "iffy" you should:

  • Contact your ISP and tell them it's not working.
  • Ensure that your ISP contacts BT and tells them!

BT will then send an engineer out to: fix internal wiring if necessary, fix a face plate filter to the main socket if necessary etc.

From the discussions we've had with BT, we know that BT are confident that they can resolve cases like this.

Trail announcement

19th April 2004

BT today announced a trial set to pave the way to extend the reach of broadband ADSL services to a million more homes and businesses throughout the UK.

Milton Keynes was chosen for the trial involving up to 1,000 people as approximately 18 per cent of people are out of reach - higher than elsewhere because of the geographical development of the city in relation to the exchanges providing its telephone services.

BT has been working closely with the Milton Keynes Broadband Action Group to address broadband availability issues and plans to recruit trialists with the group’s help.

Read BT's press release here.

Questions and Answers

There will be many questions raised. BT have provided us with the following Questions and Answers:

SUBJECT: BT Trials Long Reach Broadband in Milton Keynes

BT are opening the doors to people with 01908 numbers who can’t currently get Broadband in a trial due to start on the 1st of June. They’re looking for up to 1000 trialists.

A copy of BT's announcement is here:

http://www.bb4mk.org/bttrial/pr.htm

You’ll be able to place your order for 512Kbps broadband service through participating Service Providers in mid May. BT have said that they’ll supply us and the MK Council website with a list of these Service Providers. For the time being there is not a great deal we can do.

In the meantime BT have provided us with some initial Questions and Answers:

Questions and Answers

1. Who is eligible to join the trial?

Anyone with an 01908 number who currently cannot get broadband, though BT cannot guarantee broadband service on every line in this trial.

2. Why can’t I use any Service Provider on this trial?

All Service Providers have been invited to participate in this trial, a list of those who have chosen to participate and the relevant contact details will be published on this website on the 11th May.

3. How do I know if I can or can not get Broadband, the Broadband Availability Number Checker uses terms like ‘should be possible’ and ‘may be possible’ to provide ADSL?

There are three possible outcomes when you type your number into the Broadband Availability Number Checker:

  1. “… the length of the telephone line between you and the exchange is too long for ADSL broadband….” This answer is a definite "No", so join the trial if you want Broadband.
     
  2. "Good news!... our initial test indicates that it may be possible to provide ADSL broadband on this telephone line." This answer is a "may be", so place an order as normal if you want Broadband. If your line fails the subsequent tests and you're told that it's unable to support Broadband, then join the trial.
     
  3. “Good news! …our initial test indicates that it should be possible to provide ADSL broadband on this telephone line.” This answer is a "yes", subject to the normal line tests, so order Broadband through the normal channels. If you attempt to order it through the trial your order will be rejected.

4. Why is BT doing this trial now and why Milton Keynes?

Milton Keynes has significant gaps in its Broadband coverage which are inconsistent with BT’s position in the rest of the country. BT are also keen to work with our 1000+ strong Milton Keynes Broadband Action Group.

Recent research at the BT Exact labs at Adastral Park; and trials involving BT staff; and international comparisons have indicated that 500Kbps ADSL services could now be offered to many people beyond the current limit which is roughly equivalent to 6Km line length. As a result of this work BT are now keen to trial a longer reach service on a much larger scale.

5. How long will the trial last?

BT plans to run the trial from the 1st of June 2004 to the late summer of 2004.

6. Can I get a 1Mb/sec or 2 Mb/sec broadband product as part of the trial?

No, the initial trial period is dedicated to ensuring as many people as possible are able to receive the 500Kbps service.

7. What happens when the trial is over?

Assuming successful trial results, you the customer will have the choice of continuing with the service or ceasing it.

8. Assuming the trial was successful and long range broadband is launched what happens if I still can’t get broadband?

BT Retail have a number of alternatives which would be reviewed. Some of these alternatives require Public Private Partnership funding to make them affordable.

9. Is BT charging customers who participate in the trial?

The charges to take part would depend on the service provider involved and should be made clear on May 11.
BT Wholesale are running the trial and will be charging service providers the normal connection and monthly rental charges.

10. What do I as a customer / trialist need to do?

Joining the MK Broadband Action Group will keep you abreast of BT plans.

Once the list of participating Service Providers has been published, which we expect to be on the 11th of May, you’ll need to place your Broadband order through one of these Service Providers. BT will provide regular updates via our website and the MK Council website.

Keep informed by joining the Milton Keynes Broadband Action Group. Fill in the web form here. No details are given to third parties.

Questions

Any questions? Let me know.

More News and Information...

BT will regularly send our group updates as a series of "Long Reach Trial Communications".

The first issue, 7th May 2004, is here.

Following on from our meeting held on the 30th April 2004, we have now received answers from BT to questions submitted.

11th May 2004 - MK Trial: Participating ISPs announced.

17th May 2004 - BT Questions and Answers posted.

21st May 2004 - BT's "Long Reach Trial Communications." The second issue is here.

3rd June 2004 - BT Questions and Answers posted.

The 7km/10km Question

I've had several enquires regarding the distance limit of the trail. Is it limited to 7km (70dB) or 10km (100dB)?

I received the following clarification from BT:

The Service Provider Q&A slipped through the update process from an earlier draft. The trial was initially due to be to 70dB line loss. It was later decided that performance testing on higher line loss lines would provide valuable data - hence no limit for the trial.

Reports

The story is taken up on the following web sites:

Milton Keynes chosen for Long Reach ADSL - but is it 10km or 7km?
BT Wholesale to test ADSL capabilities out to 10km
BT to trial ADSL beyond the 60dB limit
The Register
ZDNet UK
BBC News

Reactions and Comments 

Reactions and Comments have been streaming in.

Midband or HomeHighway Users

If you use Midband or HomeHighway you will be excluded from the trial.

Links

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Activities

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