BT Broadband
by: Neil Shevlin
Approximately 4 million people in the UK use ADSL with an extra 2 million using a cable connection, meaning 6 million people in the UK have an always-on internet connection. Of these over 1.7 million are subscribed to BT?s broadband package, making them the UK?s main broadband provider.
Back in August 2000 BT first launched its high-speed internet connection to customers. Initially only available to around one third of UK households and costing ?500 a year it was the first step in many to Broadband Britain.
There are currently only 2 ways to connect to ADSL in the UK. Recently a technique called Local Loop Unbundling means you don?t need to have a BT phone line, but at the moment only 1% of people on broadband in the UK use this method. The only other way to connect transforms an existing BT phone line into a high-speed digital line. This is only available with a BT phone line though, so even if you don?t subscribe to BT?s package your ISP still has to pay BT money to maintain and connect your line. Because of this BT has been able to dictate the availability of broadband in the UK for a few years now.
For fear that UK telecoms watchdog Ofcom would break-up the company because they held a monopoly by owning all the phone lines and means to connect to broadband, BT has agreed to offer rival companies access to the ?Local Loop?, which is the network of telephone lines around the country. By doing this BT could stand to lose many customers as other companies can offer their broadband directly and without having to pay BT expenses.
Since the introduction of ADSL in the UK many potential customers found their local exchanges were simply out of date and the lines too old to be able to handle this new technology. Campaigns run country-wide as BT will only upgrade exchanges if there is adequate interest. ADSL is still not available in many villages and more rural areas of Britain but BT is vastly expanding and upgrading its network to try and cover all the country, Broadband is currently available in more than 96.6% of all UK households.
BT?s standard package is 2Mbps with a 1 GB monthly download limit. This means you can only download 1 GB?s worth of content, be it WebPages, music or movies, a month. This is more than enough for typical WebPages, but excessive music downloads will result in your account being suspended or limited for the rest of the month. You can upgrade your broadband to a 15 GB monthly limit for a little extra a month. BT also offers Pay As You Go dialup and unlimited dialup contracts.
BT Broadband also offers a variety of packages and upgrades designed to suit every user. You can upgrade to a gaming account to play xbox and PS2 games online, you can setup parental filters for your children, and there?s protection against spam, junk mail, pop-ups, virus?s and online intruders.
One of the main reasons people will continue to signup to BT is its reliability. They have broken the mould of all ISPs having poor customer service and are incredibly helpful with setting up your connection.
BT are aiming to trail their 8Mbps connection soon, intending it to be in common use by the end of the year. BT?s ultimate goal is making broadband available throughout the country, including rural areas.
About The Author
Neil Shevlin is the owner of UK Cheap Broadband which is a great place to find broadband links, resources and articles. For more information go to: UK Cheap Broadband www.ukcheapbroadband © Copyright 2005 Please feel free to copy and paste this article and it's resource information.
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Choosing The Right Bahamas Vacation Package For Your Family
Choosing The Right Bahamas Vacation Package For Your Family
by: Jeff Linaker
The Bahamas are a group of islands located west of Florida. It is for most people a perfect place, especially for newlyweds on their honeymoon, for those who just want to have a relaxing vacation, and for a fun filled and exciting family vacation. The Bahamas are famous for its beautiful beaches and exhilarating activities that suit diverse types of experience. People who often visit the Bahamas have their own favorite places that they visit again and again.
They feel like the Bahamas is their home away from home. With seven hundred islands and cays, countless activities, and millions of web pages referring to The Bahamas, it can be confusing to plan a vacation, especially for the first time visitor because there are so many places to see and so many activities to do and experience.
For a family vacation in The Bahamas, the first step is to plan ahead the places...
Choosing The Right Bahamas Vacation Package For Your Family
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Inexpensive Travel - The Key
Inexpensive Travel - The Key
by: Steve Gillman
Inexpensive travel can be accomplished in two basic ways. First, get the best deals on the specific things you want. This approach is very limited though. For example, if you find the lowest price on the best hotel in Honolulu at the height of the season, you'll save money, but still have a very expensive room. Trying to get exactly what you want - or think you want - is an expensive proposition, in travel and in life.
The other approach to inexpensive travel is to be an opportunist. This may be difficult for some, and entirely unacceptable to others. Nonetheless, the travelers who get to travel the most, learn the most and do the most, are the opportunists.
When I first went to Ecuador, I went because it was cheap. If it wasn't, I would have had a great time anyhow - somewhere else. A month cost $1045, including airfare, a $130 fee for a guide to take me to the top of glacier-covered Mount...
Inexpensive Travel - The Key
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Travel Insurance: Prevention Is Better Than Bills
Travel Insurance: Prevention Is Better Than Bills
by: Robert Thatcher
It is really fun going on a holiday trip. You will be so busy strolling around, doing what you do not usually do, like skiing, windsurfing and other activities worth spending your holiday with. Outdoor trip is really fun and entertaining. You are enjoying snow boarding but suddenly you broke your leg. We don?t know when accidents may happen. It is just practical to get a travel insurance plan.
Travel insurance plan is a way to minimize the considerable financial risks of traveling. These risks include accidents, illness, and missed flights, canceled tours, lost baggage, emergency evacuation and getting your body home if you die.
Each traveler?s risk and potential loss varies, depending on how much of the trip is prepaid, the kind of air ticket purchased, your state of health, the value of your luggage, where you?re traveling, what medical coverage you already have...
Travel Insurance: Prevention Is Better Than Bills
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