BT abolishes 6km limit on 512K broadband

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BT Wholesale is to remove the distance limit on 512Kbps ADSL connections and extend the range of 1Mbps services.
From 6 September, anyone connected to an ADSL-enabled exchange will be able to get broadband. Previously connections were limited to properties within 6km of the exchange when measured along the phone line.

At the same time, the range of 1Mbps services will grow from around to 4km to 6km, meaning that anyone who can currently get 512K will be able to upgrade. 2Mbps services will continue to be restricted to 4km.

Despite abolishing the 512K limit, BT says that a few properties may be so far from the exchange that it will simply not be able to provide a reliable service. In other cases, BT engineers may have to modify wiring at the property or update local cabling. This service will be free.

Trials in Milton Keynes, Fort William and Dingwall found that dropping the 512K limit would raise the average number of homes that could get broadband from 96 per cent of those connected to an enabled-exchange to 99.8 per cent.

Together with the current exchange upgrade programme, by the end of next summer, 99.4 per cent of UK homes and businesses will be able to get broadband, which is the same proportion that can receive 'good quality' analogue TV.

Anyone who has previously been rejected, should re-apply for whichever ASDSL service they require once the limits have been changed. Service availability can be checked at www.bt.com/broadband.

BT Wholesale is currently connecting around 6,000 new ADSL subscribers every day, bringing the total to over three million. There are also some 1.7 million cable subscribers plus several thousand who use LLU-based services.

Maybe its time to move to UK?

(in reply to Laffin Assassin)

If I am not misunderstanding LA's notes....
Compare to Japan's ADSL:

Yahoo BB(BroadBand) provided customers to have up to 50Mbps/3Mbps ADSL.
Well, of coures the bandwidth is depend on the distance between your home and the ISP's server room. But this is still an exciting news.

But living in / near downtown that you will have the chance to enjoy the high speed.

See below chart:


This service will start on Sep. 01

Detail information is here.
(If you can read Japanese.

(in reply to emperor)

Sheer numbers do not mean too much unless we know the relevant prices:))

(in reply to arith)

The price per month for the 50M/3M ADSL is JPY 4,122 which is about USD 37.70 or Euro 30.59

Though I am not familar with the ADSL charge price in US or Europe.

But in where I am (Taiwan), that price can only have 8M/640K ADSL.

(in reply to sp)

A very good price for most broadband (ADSL) services in the UK can be found HERE !!!
Also Plus Net are one of the Best ISP's in the UK and if anyone decides to sign up with them it would be nice if you enter in the reference field that you were refered by sutty !!!
Prices start at £14.99 for 512k and go up to £39.99 for unmetered 2meg conection and I would say that personally I think they are the best ISP Around !!!

(in reply to arith)

Maybe the ADSL is quite cheaper in Eastern Asia.
£39.99 per month for a 2M connection bandwidth is not acceptable here.


But I must say, it seems almost everything is more expansive in Europe compare to other country. Well, that's another story.

Anyway, I still think the 50M/3M ADSL bandwidth is a huge improvement. The bandwidth is approaching to a 100M LAN.

(in reply to Laffin Assassin)

Yeah tell me about things being expensive in Europe. In the Uk the average weekly wage (Accoring to our Goverment) is supposed to be average of £475.80 per week gross pay. Then they hammer a married man with tax and national insurance leaving £353.51 then whatever you purchase they tax you 17.5% and the annoying thing is Everything is usually a lot more expensive to purchase in the UK than everywhere else in Europe. For instance cigarettes are almost £5 for a packet of 20 and hand rolling tobaco is almost £8 for 50 grams, Petrol 83 pence a Litre, so as you can see our lovely Goverment screw us chose what we earn !!!

(in reply to arith)

Ya....I have heard about that. I have been in Germany, Italy, and Ireland for a while. People in Dublin is saying that living in Dublin is quite expansive compare to Tokyo. But yes, they agree living in UK is more harder.....

(in reply to Laffin Assassin)