Have the broadband availability checkers been updated already? It would seem they might.

Whilst munching through my lunch time pot noodle (yes I admit it) I
decided to check out some numbers on BT's adsl availability checker
and got a few surprises.

Surprise no 1 was that our business phone line (well fax, technically)
suddenly says we can get adsl. This is new. Our exchange has been
enabled for some time. The business, however, is on an industrial
park miles from anywhere and the adsl checker has always said "your
exchange (Hythe) is broadband enabled but your line is too far from
the exchange to receive adsl services". Consequently, as the internet
is critical to our business we have been paying a fortune to Aramiska
for a (dodgy) satellite connection of 1mbps. I've checked the checker
every so often but nothing changed until today. I never really
expected it would - if we're too far, we're too far. But not only did
it say we could get ADSL but said we could order either 512kbps or
1mbps.

Impressed, but curious, I decided to enter my own number. In the past
this has always given the exact same message - too far away (even
though I have had a 512kbps connection for 10 months). Now however it
tells me that adsl is already available on the line but I can upgrade
to 1mbps by following a link it provides (to BT Yahoo).

The best test would be to enter the number of my old house which was
definitely beyond the reach of adsl. Unfortunately when I moved I
kept the number.

I also tried entering the number of more remote people - first my
parents on Romney Marsh and it said "good news - your exchange is due
to be enabled in Apr 2005 although your distance from the exchange
means you can only receive 512mbps connections". With my
mother-in-law's house in south west Scotland (middle of nowhere) it
said "good news - your exchange is due to be enabled in Jul 2005 and
you should be able to receive a service at either 512kpbs or 1mbps" or
words to this effect.

These changes do seem to me to indicate that a number of changes have
recently been made to the online availability checker at:

http://www.btyahoo.com/broadband/forhome

Anyone else care to try?

"Simon Pleasants" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Whilst munching through my lunch time pot noodle (yes I admit it) I
> decided to check out some numbers on BT's adsl availability checker
> and got a few surprises.
>
> Surprise no 1 was that our business phone line (well fax, technically)
> suddenly says we can get adsl. This is new. Our exchange has been
> enabled for some time. The business, however, is on an industrial
> park miles from anywhere and the adsl checker has always said "your
> exchange (Hythe) is broadband enabled but your line is too far from
> the exchange to receive adsl services". Consequently, as the internet
> is critical to our business we have been paying a fortune to Aramiska
> for a (dodgy) satellite connection of 1mbps. I've checked the checker
> every so often but nothing changed until today. I never really
> expected it would - if we're too far, we're too far. But not only did
> it say we could get ADSL but said we could order either 512kbps or
> 1mbps.
>
> Impressed, but curious, I decided to enter my own number. In the past
> this has always given the exact same message - too far away (even
> though I have had a 512kbps connection for 10 months). Now however it
> tells me that adsl is already available on the line but I can upgrade
> to 1mbps by following a link it provides (to BT Yahoo).
>
> The best test would be to enter the number of my old house which was
> definitely beyond the reach of adsl. Unfortunately when I moved I
> kept the number.
>
> I also tried entering the number of more remote people - first my
> parents on Romney Marsh and it said "good news - your exchange is due
> to be enabled in Apr 2005 although your distance from the exchange
> means you can only receive 512mbps connections". With my
> mother-in-law's house in south west Scotland (middle of nowhere) it
> said "good news - your exchange is due to be enabled in Jul 2005 and
> you should be able to receive a service at either 512kpbs or 1mbps" or
> words to this effect.
>
> These changes do seem to me to indicate that a number of changes have
> recently been made to the online availability checker at:
>
> http://www.btyahoo.com/broadband/forhome
>
> Anyone else care to try?

Still says I can't upgrade to 1 meg.

--
Dartford Kent UK
Email (E-Mail Removed)
(To reply, remove the WRAPPER)
Web: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/k.hallock/fsale.html

"Simon Pleasants" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Whilst munching through my lunch time pot noodle (yes I admit it) I
> decided to check out some numbers on BT's adsl availability checker
> and got a few surprises.
---------- snip --------------
> Anyone else care to try?

Says :-

"There is no data available for this number. This could be either because
it is not a BT line or it is a new BT number that has just been provided."

Even though I have 512k ADSL on the BT line in question :-)

Other line says :-

" Sorry, broadband isn't available at your address. "

Regards - Keef

--
Dartford Kent UK
Email (E-Mail Removed)
(To reply, remove the WRAPPER)
Web: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/k.hallock/fsale.html

Simon Pleasants wrote:
> Whilst munching
<snip>
>
> These changes do seem to me to indicate that a number of changes have
> recently been made to the online availability checker at:
>
> http://www.btyahoo.com/broadband/forhome
>
> Anyone else care to try?

The main change I see is that BT have drawn a line on ADSL provision.
All exchanges with any hope of connection now have dates, and therefore
lines have the data shown. As for the other 565 those are set as 'not
provided'. Even for those all the numbers off them have got ADSL
potential listed.
For example my parents are now listed as 'you could get ADSL at 512 but
we are not going to do your exchange'. They then give a link to the new
DIY community provision scheme.

Bill