Hew house- BT ADSL or another ISP?

I currently have Virgin cable but am moving to a new house which is not cabled.

I am hoping at some point that our local exchange will be FTTC enabled and maybe they will roll out the 40Mb service to us. In the mean time I need to get some kind of ADSL service.

The online BT checker says I should get 2-3Mb, but Orange says 6Mb. I would've thought both services would be ADSL2+ as the exchanged is enabled, but I am not an expert.

Question is, if I want to ultimately be on a fast connection should I sign up with BT and hope FTTC gets rolled out or should I go with Orange?

Which exchange? Enabled for what?

Orange BB is now run by BT, so there won't be much difference.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

Which exchange? Enabled for what?

Orange BB is now run by BT, so there won't be much difference.

Sorry, told you I wasn't an expert.. it is the Knaresborough exchange and the postcode is HG5 9LS. As far as I can see the exchange has ADSL2+ and I presume (not sure if i'm right) that all ADSL from there should be ADSL2+.

My report from the BT broadband checker seems to suggest 2Mb by ADSL, 4Mb by ADSL Max (no idea what that is) and 6Mb by ADSL2+.

I assume from this BT are basing their estimate on the standard ADSL estimate whereas Orange are taking the ADSL2+ estimate?

Oh yes there will

Orange BB is NOT ran by BT Retail, but a service provided by BT Wholesale under direction from Orange. Based on your statement Andrews & Arnold are the same as BT

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Oh yes there will

Orange BB is NOT ran by BT Retail, but a service provided by BT Wholesale under direction from Orange. Based on your statement Andrews & Arnold are the same as BT

Thanks for clarifying that. My dilemma is really that I ultimately want to end up on BT infinity if/when it is rolled out in my area, but in the mean time I need a stop-gap solution. I don't want to end up in an 18 month contract with Orange/TalkTalk only for BT to roll out infility and I am stuck in contract.

I realise that is by the by, as it is unlikely to be rolled out in the next 18 months but either way I need to choose a provider.

Sorry if I am asking silly questions, been on cable for donkeys years so not familiar with the ADSL situation.

maps.thinkbroadband.com

Can give an idea of what people are actually getting.

The 2Meg you mention is the fact that the fastest fixed speed service is 2Meg
ADSL Max is an up to 8Meg service, which if you ordered from BT or another provider using their services is what you would get.

Looking at our map, then 4 to 6Meg looks a reasonable range

As for ADSL 2+, Knaresborough exchange only offers up to 8Meg, unless you goto to an Opal reseller, or TalkTalk who provide ADSL2+

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

maps.thinkbroadband.com

Can give an idea of what people are actually getting.

The 2Meg you mention is the fact that the fastest fixed speed service is 2Meg
ADSL Max is an up to 8Meg service, which if you ordered from BT or another provider using their services is what you would get.

Looking at our map, then 4 to 6Meg looks a reasonable range

As for ADSL 2+, Knaresborough exchange only offers up to 8Meg, unless you goto to an Opal reseller, or TalkTalk who provide ADSL2+

Cool, thanks for that... would you think there would be an advantage going for TalkTalk, or is the distance from the exchange likely not to make much difference?

If I took talktalk and our exchange went FTTC would they also provide fast internet or would it be a BT only option?

Yes, both BT & Orange will supply you with ADSL2+ WBC. So 5 - 6 Meg estimated.

Why BT Infinity specifically?

Other providers do offer a FTTC service, and in 6 months you might have from the big names

BT - Infinity now
TalkTalk - Fibre Boost available now
Sky - likely to launched
O2/Be making noises

There is no knowing whose service will be the best. My advice go for a service that is a short contract, or cheap to walk away from. If you went for BT now, and then wanted someone elses FTTC when it rolls-out you might be stuck for another 9 months.

If roll-out is 18 months away, pick the provider that most suits current needs? With phone lines, just because BT runs the phone line does not make them neccessarily the best provider. Depends on what you want

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Why BT Infinity specifically?

Other providers do offer a FTTC service, and in 6 months you might have from the big names

BT - Infinity now
TalkTalk - Fibre Boost available now
Sky - likely to launched
O2/Be making noises

There is no knowing whose service will be the best. My advice go for a service that is a short contract, or cheap to walk away from. If you went for BT now, and then wanted someone elses FTTC when it rolls-out you might be stuck for another 9 months.

If roll-out is 18 months away, pick the provider that most suits current needs? With phone lines, just because BT runs the phone line does not make them neccessarily the best provider. Depends on what you want

The only reason I said Infinity is it is the only one I knew about. I just want the fastest available really.

All of the ones I am looking at seem to be 18 month contracts. TalkTalk and Orange both look ok, but either way it seems 18 months is the min (unless I missed something). My guess is it would be worth the gamble on 18 month considering the exchange is not on the list to be upgraded in the next 6 months.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Orange BB is NOT ran by BT Retail

TMI! I never said it was.

Both BT & Orange will supply more or less the same platform, ADSL2+ WBC, but I didn't want to complicate matters to OP by bringing in the arcane relationships between arms of BT

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

ADSL Max is an up to 8Meg service, which if you ordered from BT or another provider using their services is what you would get.

As for ADSL 2+, Knaresborough exchange only offers up to 8Meg

No, you won't and it doesn't! Look again, it's 21CN WBC enabled.

In reply to a post by sp3ctre:

My report from the BT broadband checker seems to suggest 2Mb by ADSL, 4Mb by ADSL Max (no idea what that is) and 6Mb by ADSL2+.

I assume from this BT are basing their estimate on the standard ADSL estimate whereas Orange are taking the ADSL2+ estimate?

The 2Mbps is referring to the old fixed speed lines pre-ADSL Max. (To satisfy the pedants, there are still fixed speed options, but irrelevant to you).

ADSL Max for most people replaced the fixed speed products as it offers/offered "up to 8Mbps" download speeds. A system called Dynamic Line Management adjusts several parameters depending on the length and condition of the line, along with the interference the line picks up. So on a short line with little noise you can connect at 8Mbps, and as those other factors come into play you get less. The estimate for your line is 4Mbps.

ADSL2+ is just a newer version of ADSL Max and uses twice the frequency range of ADSL Max. On shortish lines this can connect at up to 24Mbps. Yours is apparently medium to longish so only 6Mbps.

There's obviously a lot more to it than that, but that's the basics.

The estimates for Max and ADSL2+ do not mean that's all it will do. As yarwell says in his sig, it "goes as fast as it can", controlled by the DLM. So it may be more, it may be a bit less. It shouldn't be a lot less.

On that exchange I suggest you look at Sky, or possibly TalkTalk, but which, and what product, depends very much on what you use the internet for. If you do a lot of gaming, Plusnet with the Pro option may be best. If you do a lot of downloading then Sky Unlimited. (You don't have to have Sky TV these days). For normal family use without downloading lots then TalkTalk will probably be cheapest.

On TalkTalk and Plusnet you can get FTTC once your exchange and cabinet are enabled, for an extra £10 per month. On Plusnet you also get a doubled allowance on it.

Orange and BT should both be fine as well, but BT can be slowed down a lot at busy times, particularly if you use download sites.

Thanks, I do use the internet a LOT, so I really need an unlimited (as much as possible) connection really. Sky looks good, and the contract is 12 months, so that is quite tempting.

In reply to a post by sp3ctre:

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

Which exchange? Enabled for what?

Orange BB is now run by BT, so there won't be much difference.

Sorry, told you I wasn't an expert.. it is the Knaresborough exchange and the postcode is HG5 9LS. As far as I can see the exchange has ADSL2+ and I presume (not sure if i'm right) that all ADSL from there should be ADSL2+.

My report from the BT broadband checker seems to suggest 2Mb by ADSL, 4Mb by ADSL Max (no idea what that is) and 6Mb by ADSL2+.

I assume from this BT are basing their estimate on the standard ADSL estimate whereas Orange are taking the ADSL2+ estimate?

Hi, Knaresborough exchange (938 MYKNA) is not even planned yet for FTTC.

(938 MYKNA) https://www.btwholesale.com/pages/downloads/Communit...

https://www.btwholesale.com/pages/static/Community/B...

With Orange you would be on WBC ADSL2+ and get what your line can support up to 20 Mbps speed, and you will be locked into an 18 month contract.

http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange/MYKNA

Edited by deleted (Tue 02-Aug-11 12:37:23)

Nothing to do with arcane relationships, but all to do with making people aware that BT Retail traffic management does not apply to products like Orange, AA, Zen, Idnet, Vodafone, Post Office etc

Aha - two checks two different answers

Ok, so it looks like Sky might be the best option:

- Unlimited use
- 12 month contract

I assume this would be ADSL2+. Is that is the case then it seems to be the best deal. If FTTC does come (couple of yrs away by the sound of it) then I can always jump ship at the time and go with whoever provides the best service at the time.

Am I right, or is there more to it?

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

all to do with making people aware that BT Retail traffic management does not apply to products like Orange, AA, Zen, Idnet, Vodafone, Post Office etc

Then say so! You didn't make anyone aware but just mentioned 2 arms of BT that the OP is probably not aware of the distinction.