Hello.

We are just about to move to a lincolnshire village PE12 0BG and have found out that we are long way from the exchange and therefore will only be able to get 512 broadband.

Currently we are on a package with Tiscali, Broadband up to 8mb (but only get 2mb I think) Phone line, free anytime calls, and a TV package. £25.00 per month. (a good deal) Tiscali have confirmed that we wont get the TV package, but will not confirm if they will be able to supply the broadband at this address. They tell me that they will only be able to tell me on the day that the BT line goes in our name, and then the connection will take up to 20 days before we are back on line. Moving from London to a little village, I want internet access a day or so after we move in. I will need to search for the nearest chip shop, diy store, supermarket etc. We would be lost without it.

I am looking for advice on how to find out which type of package would be better off for us. In advance of the move, on How do they all work, we have never had Sky so does the broadband come in through the dish? would it be faster. Have I other options I should look at?. BT who we have to have a line with to get anysort of broadband I see contracts us in for 18 months, I have looked at their packages but get so confused as to what I want.

At the same time as ordering a new broadband ISP, we would also like to be able to have mobile broadband (I have been told that a dongle will do this). Can I link the home broadband with the mobile broadband, becuase we will only use one or the other, never at the same time.

I dont really understand the technical terms, so plain english replies for this old gal please.

Thank you in advance for your replies.

very simple.

there are only 2 types of internet routes

1. cable

2. through the telephone exchange which telephone line

now the only people which offer cable is virgin media i believe, the connection is usually very efficient as its not done through the old fashion telephone line, it runs through a fibre optic cable, usually small village areas struggle to get but go onto the website you can type in the post code and it will tell you, if you cant find ur post code call them as it may not be updated also if a few houses down use virgin you are in luck cause they can wire it through to your house,

you dont need a telephone line to be able to get broadband, they do packages like 2 for £20 or u can just pay £10 per month for 2 mb broadband.

secondly the telephone exchange, names such as

orange, t mobile, tiscali, talk talk, sky, toucan,etc they are all the same they all run through the telephone line by bt. so it doesnt matter who you go to it will still be a telephone line the internet you use,

its more expensive because you have to pay for bt line in order to get tv and broadband whereas for virgin you dont.

hope this helps

Hello,

Thank you for your reply. I now know that we cannot get cable so its down to BT line. (paying BT line rental for a minimum period of 12 months). Then we can look at options which include line rental.

We are not that bothered about a TV package, more the speed of the broadband. Going from 2mb to 512 we are going to see such a difference. Its going to be a real pain.

However, becuase the line only takes up to 512mbs would I get a faster connection if I signed to a mobile connection like T mobile. (using a dongle) Rather than a broadband connection through the phone line?

What did you mean when you said:

you dont need a telephone line to be able to get broadband, they do packages like 2 for £20 or u can just pay £10 per month for 2 mb broadband.

Help through this would be much appreciated

If you cannot get Virgin in your area, you can only get the BT line(Now known as Openreach), regardless of who you go with, the only difference is how much they charge. If there is a closer exchange which your line is not routed through you could ask for it to be rerouted but you may be charged and it may not increase the speed significantly. You will not know until the day the line is installed as to what kind of speeds you'll have as the line will not be physically there until that day and so cannot be tested.

As for mobile broadband, I'm not sure how this would work out but if you are already paying for it why waste the money on a phone line you don't need?