BT is owned by the BT Group Plc which is a large multinational telecommunication company with roots back to 1846. By the 1990s UK households had access to dial-up internet, and in 2000 broadband was being rolled out.
The UK now has big 4 operators (BT, Sky, Virgin and Talk Talk) who share almost 80% of the broadband market. BT is the largest provider of broadband in the UK, as of Jan 2020, their market share is 26%, narrowly ahead of Sky’s.
BT’s fibre broadband speeds entry package starts at an average speed of 36Mbps, with the top package carrying an average speed of 300Mpbs
BT has invested heavily in sports broadcasting and now offers live Premiership Football and exclusive live European Football, Premiership Rugby and WWE via their BT Sports channel.
The Key Benefits of BT broadband
- Minimum speed guarantee with BT’s Stay Fast Guarantee or receive compensation of £20
- Free Smart Hub with strong signal strength for fast reliable internet speeds
- 18 month contract with free weekend calls as standard
- BT Virus Protect - BT’s free virus software
- Additional add-on to guarantee reliable strong connectivity in all rooms of the house or refund of up to £20
What are BT’s broadband packages?
BT has 5 broadband-only deals which include line rental. All BT broadband deals include as standard, unlimited usage, BT Virus Protect and Parental Controls and line rental worth £19.99 per month
BT uses the Openreach fibre optic network to get high-speed broadband to customers which covers 95% of the UK. For customers not yet covered by Openreach’s fibre network but have an ADSL line supplied by Openreach, BT is still able to provide broadband. The top speed is likely to be around 16Mbps, with the Your Stay Fast Guarantee add-on, you’ll get a minimum bespoke speed guarantee or your money back.
What hardware does BT offer to new customers?
BT has two routers which they offer, BT Smart Hub and Smart Hub 2. The Smart Hub is the standard router that will give you reliable fast internet. The Smart Hub 2 router which has extra features that includes automatic optimal connections for devices connected to the hub. Smart Scan will monitor for network performance issues and will automatically reboot if necessary. The Smart Hub 2 if not part of a broadband bundle but is available at an extra cost.
What software do I get with BT Broadband?
BT will offer free antivirus software on all of its internet packages, saving customers around £80 when you compared against leading premium anti-virus software. The software will perform scans for viruses, malware, trojans, tracking cookies, spyware, adware, and suspicious programs. It has a built-in firewall, which will prevent hackers from snooping and stealing important information. On top of that, it also has a feature called, Site Advisor, which informs you if a website has malicious content.
What Parental Controls are there?
BT’s antivirus comes with Parental Control allows the assigned administrator to monitor usage, block specific websites or particular genres of websites. It also allows you to manage the screen time of children.
Does BT offer a minimum speed guarantee?
BT’s Stay Fast Guarantee which can come free with certain packages or is available at an additional monthly cost. BT’s Stay Fast will guarantee a minimum speed or £20 back if the speed issue is not resolved within 30 days.
BT’s Stay Fast Guarantee customers will have their connection continually monitored for performance issues, with priority telephone support from call centres based in the UK and Ireland. Engineer visits are prioritised which ensures Stay Fast Guarantee customers will be seen much faster than other customers.
How do you connect the BT Smart Hub to the internet?
BT’s Smart Hub router is easy to install without the need for an engineer. Plug one end of the ADSL cable to the router and the other end to the telephone socket, and finally plug the power cable to the device and power socket and turn on then you’re ready to go.
How do you set up a BT TV set-top box?
Setting up you BT TV set-top box is fairly straight forward. At the back of your set-top box, there will be a socket for a TV aerial. Connect the TV aerial cable into the socket labelled “Antenna” or “Aerial”, then plug the other end to the wall socket for the external aerial. This will ensure you receive all the free to air channels. To get the premium channels like BT Sport, connect the ethernet cable from the router to the set-top box. Finally, plug in the power cable to the set-top box, and then to a power socket, and you’re ready to go.
Does BT provide emails?
BT gives all its customers free email accounts with the suffix @btinternet.com. The email is available through a browser or the My BT app. Email service comes with 10 additional email accounts that family and friends can use. BT’s email service includes antivirus and antispam features.
What is BT Cloud storage?
Cloud storage is the ability to store files, photos or videos on BT’s servers rather than on an SD Card or USB memory sticks which can be become corrupt, damaged or get lost.
Depending on the package deal you choose, you will get 10Gb - 1Tb of free storage. Extra storage is charged at £3 per 50Gb, or £9 per 500Gb.
To access your cloud storage file, all you need is the internet.
What is BT’s customer service and support like?
BT is the UKs biggest broadband provider, and it wants to keep it that way, so it is keen to keep its customers happy, by providing great customer service.
With BT, customer support is 24/7 and available on 0800 800 150. The website is innovative in that BT has posted videos of the most common issues experienced by customers and the solutions.
The Virtual assistant is available instantly to answer routine questions. However, if you’d rather chat to an adviser, the online chat function can be activated at any time.
