Broadband (see Disclaimer Notice)

The Newton exchange is enabled for Broadband access from Newton and Gorefield. (see Broadband Providers and What to Look For)

Broadband was available from 16th February 2005 (check the speed of your connection)

Broadband is the replacement for standard dial up Internet access via a modem. With Broadband you have instant, and always-on, Internet access without any phone call charges. When your phone line is upgraded you get a 2-way adaptor (filter), the connector plugs into the standard phone socket and the other end is terminated with a 2-way socket. With this you get broadband from one socket - this connects into the Broadband modem you are supplied with - and the other socket is available for a standard phone line. You will still pay a line rental and call charges for the phone side but you only pay a rental for the Broadband side.

Since Broadband came into operation the prices have fallen gradually from the original £29.99 down to £14.99. Also the speeds and accessibility have improved. The basic service of 512Kbps wasn't available to everyone, it depended on the distance from the exchange and this had to be less than 4Km. Now, the service is available to everyone, virtually regardless of the distance from the exchange. Some ISP still provide a 2Mbps service whereas some have the option to go onto an 8Mbps service (although it may be limited to around 2.5Mbps locally).

Some of the cheaper services have a download limit - usually called a Bandwidth limit. These usually start at 1 or 2Gb per month (that is 1,000 / 2,000Mbs) but some suppliers allow you to upgrade for a couple of pounds a month if you need more bandwidth. For those not downloading lots of music and videos and not playing games online, 1Gb will be generally be quite sufficient

There are a lot of Broadband suppliers out there - BT is NOT the only one and not the best value for money. It is unlikely the prices will fall much more but deals are appearing which combine broadband with your home phone rental and calls. Alsot be aware that your provider (whichever one you choose) may decide to limit your bandwidth in the future as it is generally thought that it is fairer for everyone to pay for what they use - if you don't use much - you don't pay much!