BT 8 meg broadband – wait in line

If you use BT broadband and hope to get an automatic upgrade to the new 8 meg service, you might well be left disappointed. BT Retail’s 2.3m broadband customers will not be automatically upgraded to the new service – instead, you’ll have to register your interest and wait your turn and be subject to a new 12-month contract.

A spokesman for the company said registration was "fairer", with those who most want the 8 meg service getting it first. You can get the service straight away if you pay £29.99 per month for BT’s "Option 4" package, but cheaper packages with the higher speed will be available during Spring.

BT Wholesale completed its nation-wide upgrade of its broadband network at the end of March, giving ISPs the option to move end users onto faster speeds. AOL UK is taking a different approach with the 8 meg service – AOL customers currently receiving its premium 2 meg service are to be upgraded automatically to 8 meg between May and July, without charge. Others, including Virgin Net, are adopting a similar approach

Of course, once you get an 8 meg line, there are no guarantees it will reach such speeds. According to BT, eight in ten broadband users should be able to get 4 meg and above, while only those people closest to their BT exchange can expect speeds nearing 8 meg.

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Via The Register

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