FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Will I be able to get the new superfast broadband in Benderloch?
How fast will this be?
How much will it cost?
When is it available?
How do I tell if my telephone line is connected to a new FTTC cabinet?
What if I'm not connected to a new FTTC cabinet?
What is Fibre-to-the-premesis, and can I benefit?

answers below:

Will I be able to get the new superfast broadband in Benderloch?

Your telephone line must terminate at the cabinet in the village, not directly at the exchange.

Two utilities can tell you whether your line terminates in the cabinet, or terminates directly at the exchange ("Exchange-only" line)
1) enter your phone number on this website:
http://www.digitalscotland.org/whereandwhen
or
2) Click here to enter your telephone number on the BT availability checker

If the result says

Telephone Number 016317203xx on Exchange LEDAIG

 then you have an Exchange Only line and cannot get the new fibre broadband.
If the result says

Telephone Number 016317203xx on Exchange LEDAIG is served by CABINET 1

then you are connected to the cabinet, and can theoretically get the new fibre broadband.

How fast will this be?

FTTC provided by BT has a maximum speed currently  80Mbit/s download and 20Mbit/s upload, but you are limited by the distance between you and the cabinet, and the package you buy. See here for distance vs speed.
Compared to the existing maximum of 8Mbit/s download 0.4Mbit/s upload, this is a huge increase.

How much will it cost?

Depends who you chose as your Internet Service Provider.
Example for an entry level  package of 17Mb/s download, 10GB usage is £10/month if taken with line rental of £15.99 per month
Example for top-of-the range 80Mb/s unlimited package is £26/month + £15.99 line rental.
You are not restricted to having BT as your Internet Service Provider, but all the fibre cables and equipment in the exchange will be the same for everyone regardless of ISP.

When is it available?

updated 29th July 2014:

Initial estimate was 31 July 2014. This has now moved to 31 August 2014. See this website for more information. Enter you postcode, click on the bubble south of the village. 

http://www.superfast-openreach.co.uk/where-and-when/

When this changes from "Coming Soon" to "Accepting Orders" you'll be able to order superfast broadband if available to you.

How do I tell if my telephone line is connected to a new FTTC cabinet?

see first question - BT ADSL checker or http://www.digitalscotland.org/whereandwhen

What if I'm not connected to a new FTTC cabinet?

You'll probably not benefit at all in the near future. See this post for my understanding of how the new broadband rollout may or may not help you 

What is Fibre-to-the-premesis, and can I benefit?

If you live close (under 1km) to the new cabinet, then you could possibly get what BT call "FTTP On demand" - a fibre that runs all the way to your house, into your house and into a new modem. This gives you a theoretical maximum speed of 330Mbit/s download / 30Mbit/s upload, but the prices are scary -
£500+VAT connection charge + £38/month  PLUS £2 PER METRE from your home to the cabinet (read £700-£1500!). Technically the fibre runs all the way from your house to the exchange, but I guess they just splice it somewhere around the new cabinet?
more info here: