Can I get business broadband?

[sans-broadband]

Hi - I have 2 home phone lines, one I use for voice, the other for dial-up. I have been told I cannot have broadband due to a longline, BT have tried twice over the last 3 years but to no avail (most recent availability check on my voice line states 'According to our records, this is a DDI (Direct Dial In) number, which cannot support Broadband ADSL'). However the other number comes up trumps with up to 1mb connection. Common sense tells me that this is an oversight by BT and it should really say 'no'. I have been told by Openreach that I will never get broadband at home. My question is, would I be treated the same way if I wanted business broadband? Apart from an expensive satellite connection, I can't think of any other option. Any suggestions gratefully welcome.

[Kirok]

The postcode checker is based on physical distance from the exchange on the map, the line itself may be routed all over the place.

You could try a Mobile dongle http://www.top10-broadband.co.uk/guides/what_is_a_mobile_dongle/ that link also has some info on companies that sell them, I think BT is planning on doing them at some point.

[sans-broadband]

Thanks for the advice, unfortunately there isn't a mobile signal here. I'm on the edge of a forest, my nearest neighbour and tarmac road are half a mile away, neither of which I can see!

Perhaps I should consider carrier pigeons? 🙂 

[Kirok]

Hmm yeah, its a bit of a kick in the head.

I could be out of date but I think the ranges for ADSL are:

Up to 18,000 feet 1.544 Mbps
Up to 16,000 feet 2.048 Mbps
Up to 12,000 feet 6.312 Mbps
Up to 9,000 feet 8.448 Mbps

Thats line length to the exchange like I said not physical distance, so I'm guessing the line wraps around a couple of streets before getting to you. Saying that though I've seen people on what BT class as long and extremely long lines getting 256 kbps and 512 kbps. I would have recommended trying a different company (I'm on cable not ADSL but I'm a big fan of Zen), but as they all use BT Wholesale and Openreach for backend stuff and as they've told you its not going to happen, not really sure what you can do.

You could see if someone is selling wireless internet in your area but its unlikley.

Funny you should mention carrier pigeons, someone did an RFC on them here and here for a bit more of an explanation. An RFC is an internet standards document describing how parts of it work... none of which really helps but might get a laugh.

[sans-broadband]

Thanks for links, made me smile! Cable? In this part of the country that's used in conjunction with a tractor. Telephony and electricity are delivered overhead so I can see the 3.5 miles of cable from my house to the sub-exchange. A neighbour (half a mile away) does get 512k connection but I can't see them so wireless is out of the question.

Ah well, there has to be a price of some kind to pay for living in a beautiful, remote, tranquil part of Wales. I just wish BT hadn't raised my expectations by suggesting that broadband would work here (not once but twice)!

[Bunbury · Accepted solution]

Sounds from what you say that you should be able to get service. If one line shows 1Mb on the checker that's usually a good sign that you'll get broadband on it.

The DDI response on the other line is an incompatible product tag on your line records. DDI is a telephony service for offices whereby BT supply a number block to the office so that each user in the building can have a telephone number of their own rather than one main number with extensions. It's incompatible with broadband. If you haven't got that service on that line it's probably a records problem. You can call BT and get the records adjusted to reflect reality, which should clear the line so you can get broadband on it.