LLU Internet and BT Line HELP!...

karatedragon

I am unsure if this is the right area of the board. But....

I have a BT phone line which I do not use. I only pay for it to have Broadband which is supplied by NewNet LLU. I pay BT for the line £11.99 per month and NewNet for the Broadband £19.99 per month.

What I want to know is do I have to pay BT for a line to have the LLU access. It is a bit of a rip off paying BT and Newnet. One for a "line" the other for the ISP.

Does anyone know if I can cancel the BT line I don't use and that the LLU broadband will still work. Or is there any way you can get broadband without having a "voice" subscription? Simply no telephone in the house to talk on but a Broadband Connection to surf the web on?

Hope this is clear!

bosk

Non-cable broadband currently needs an active voice line so no way round it. Could shave a couple of quid off rental by going to another voice provider for rental of a "BT" line ie. Primus.
Future possibility of broadband only line but then again rental would need to be paid on top of broadband subscription.

macman

No line rental equals no broadband.
Whether it is LLU or not is irrelevant.
BT maintains the local loop from exchange to the property, so how do you think that would be carried out unless you paid line rental?
You don't have to take a calls package, but all providers bundle a basic package (usually weekend or evening and weekend calls) in with their line rental.

penrhyn

Your point is clear but the answer is no, you can't have broadband without paying line rental.

You are renting the physical line from the exchange to your property, that is what you are paying rent for.

karatedragon

The other way round it is to have Cable only I guess. I don't think you need a "landline" with them for Broadband only.

It just seems a bit of a cash cow (not sure if thats the right term) paying BT simply so I can have ISP with a "provider". It is a shame BT can't do a "broadband" only rental for those that want Broadband but non of the "calling features" of the basic package.

macman

Because it costs the same to maintain your line from the exchange, regardless of whether it is being used for voice or voice and data.
Using your argument, my Mum should get a lower line rental from BT because she doesn't have broadband, yet part of her line rental is used to maintain broadband capability.