Can I get BT fibre for my business?

BT is one of the biggest telecom providers in the UK & I’m sure any of you reading this would have already heard of them. They have millions of clients, each requiring a different service and support. Alongside BT’s home services they also provide BT business connectivity services and own most of the UK fibre.

Despite the huge number of services BT can supply there are two internet services that are the bread and butter of their business customer base. These are fibre broadband ( also referred to ultrafast 1 enhanced, ultrafast 2 enhanced superfast fibre package essential, superfast enhanced) and Internet Leased Lines (known as BTNet).

BT do offer other services such as BT parental controls for home users, BT sports app.They will also offer BT cloud services for business which enables BT customers to store data in the cloud. If you get timing right BT are know for offering BT reward cards with generous values for home & business customers.

BT Business customers get different support and additions compared to home users. Some of these can make a big difference to a business, especially if they rely on connectivity. These can include 24/7 enhanced support and quicker fix times should anything go wrong with the line. BT business also includes:

• BT Business Smart Hub
• UK’s largest wi-fi network
• Guest Wi-Fi
• Support 24/7
• Unlimited data
• Fixed price guarantee
• Upgrade at any time
• 4G Assure
• BT Device Protection
• Enhanced IT Support
• Static IP
• 5 million BT wi Fi hotspots around the UK

What is BT fibre speed?

Speeds you receive from BT will vary according to a few factors. One is what type of service you’re getting from BT. For a BTNet Leased line you’ll be able to pick the speed you want (ranging from 10MB-10GB). That speed will be consistence since you’re the only user on the line. Whereas, with BT fibre broadband speeds will change depending on how many users are on the line. Also, BT Business broadband is faster compared to BT home broadband.

There’re four types of BT Fibre Broadband services. They are Superfast Fibre Essential, Superfast Enhanced, Ultrafast 1 Enhanced, Ultrafast 2 Enhanced. See below table for average speeds.

Again, this will vary on the factor stated above. If you’re currently with BT you can always use an online speed checker to test your speed. If you can’t get fibre broadband in your area then you will have to go for standard, that will also lower your speeds.

Can I get BT fibre?

BT Business Fibre Broadband is available to 95% of the UK, all you need is a BT fibre enabled street cabinet near you. The best way to see if it is available in your area is to use SamKnows. From our experience this is the best and most accurate availability checker you can use. Alternatively, you can go directly to BT to check.

BTnet Leased Lines are available everywhere in the UK, it’s just if you can afford it. The further you are from the exchange point the more expensive they are.

When can I get BT fibre to the premises?

BT Business FTTP normally takes about 2 weeks to install. This can be longer if obstacles arise. BT FTTP is available to 95% of the UK. You will have to be a reasonable distance away from a fibre enabled street cabinet to receive fibre connections.

Openreach are looking to make FTTP available to 4 million premises by 2021.

How much is BT Fibre?

This depends on what fibre solution you’re going for. BTnet Leased Lines start from around £195 per month. Prices will go up depended on the speed you pick, how far you are from the exchange, and if any ECC (Excess Construction Charges) arise.

BT Fibre broadband starts from £38 per month up to £68 per month & had free unlimited download speeds. The lower end is Superfast Essential broadband, whereas the higher end is Ultrafast 2 Enhanced. You can get all these broadband packages either with broadband only deals or with line rental. Also, if you’re an existing customer of BT the prices might be slightly cheaper.

Is BT Superfast Fibre FTTP?

In short, yes. Superfast is full fibre broadband, it’s slightly different to Ultrafast as it delivers less speed.  FTTP work by a fibre optic cables coming from the telephone exchange to your local street cabinet. From the street cabinet another fibre cable is lead to your premises.

FTTC (Fibre to the cabinet) is different because instead of a fibre line from the street cabinet, it uses existing telephone lines to transmit the signal.

The advantages and disadvantages of BT Business Fibre

BTnet Leased Line Advantages:

• Speed– Whatever speed you pick you will get it consistently throughout the day with no downtime.
• Reliability– BTnet Leased line (like all leased line) are extremely reliable and never cut out. This is because you’re the only user on the line and you get all the bandwidth.
• SLA– With BTnet Leased you’ll receive a Service Level Agreement. This means they must meet a certain standard of service or you’ll get compensation. These standards include 5-hour fix time, no drop in speed etc.
• Scalability– You can upgrade your BTnet Leased line speed when you need it.
• Symmetrical– Whatever speed you go for you’ll have to same upload as download

BTnet Leased Line Disadvantages:

• Price– BTnet Leased line are quite a bit more expensive compared to other Leased Line providers.
• Long install time– BTnet Leased line can take up to 4 months to install. So, if you’re looking for a quick solution then a Leased Line isn’t for you.

BT Fibre Broadband Advantages:

• Higher Bandwidth (compare to FTTC)- Fibre can carry more speed compared to copper.
• Longer distances– Speed degrades over distance with copper lines, whereas with fibre it distance doesn’t affect the speed.
• Small size– The size of fibre lines compared to copper lines is drastic. So, more fibre lines can fit in place of copper ones.
• Low security risk– Light send’s data in fibre optic cables, therefore its undetectable there near impossible to intercept.

BT Fibre broadband Disadvantages:

• Price– BT Fibre Broadband can be more expensive compared to other providers.
• Reliability– There’s a chance of downtime and speed decreases with BT Broadband. This is because you’re sharing the line with other users, so at peak times you will most likely have decreased speeds. If this is something that concerns you, it would be best for you to go for a Leased Line.
• Installation difficulty– Fibre is a lengthy process to install. Where with FTTC it uses copper telephone lines that’s already existing.
• Availability– BT Fibre broadband is not as widely available compared to FTTC or Leased Lines.

How to get the best deals on BT fibre

Firstly, you need to figure out what service you’re looking to go for. If you need consistent/symmetrical speeds, then it would be a BTnet Leased Line. If you’re looking for just normal internet and don’t mind if its sometimes slow or drops out, then BT Fibre broadband would be the one for you.

For BTnet Leased lines, you’d need to figure out what speed you’ll need and how far you are from the local exchange. Both will affect the price. With BT Broadband you’ll need to figure out what Fibre broadband you’ll need (Ultrafast, Superfast etc).

One way to get a good deal is to search around. Many other ISP’s will resell BT infrastructure at a much cheaper price. If you don’t want the hassle of looking around yourself, you can get a Fibre Broadband or Leased Line comparison done with us. This way you’ll get the cheapest price without having the lengthy process of comparing everyone yourself. Just fill in your email address and a few other details, and you’ll get you quotes within a few hours.