Business Broadband Products FAQ

Signing up for business broadband

1. Which broadband product is best for my business?
   
2. What contract options can I choose?
   
3. What hardware options are available?
   
4. How can I find out if broadband is available at my location?
   
5. How can I pay for my broadband product?

   Business broadband Pay As You Go products
   

6. How do I know how much data transfer I have used?
   
7. Can I pay for extra data transfer if I need it?
   
8. Can I restrict how much I spend on extra data transfer?
   
9. When will I be billed for any extra data transfer that I use?
   
10. What happens to any data transfer that is unused at the end of the month?
    
11. What happens if someone else uses my data transfer, for example if my computer is infected with a virus that sends out information without my knowledge?

    Upgrading from dial-up to broadband
    

12. What do I need to get started with broadband?
    
13. How much data transfer am I using at the moment with my dial-up connection?

    Changing to PlusNet broadband
    

14. Can I change to PlusNet from my existing broadband provider?
    
15. How much does it cost to change to PlusNet broadband from another provider?
    

Signing up for business broadband

1. Which broadband product is best for my business?
That depends on the size of your business and your particular needs. There is a range of up to 8Mb products so you should find something to suit you:

Teleworker
Cost-effective broadband for the home office and suitable for regular homeworking. There is a choice of Pay As You Go or fixed-cost Premier options. Also comes with 240 minutes a month of anytime Broadband Phone calls*.

Small Business
A broadband solution for small businesses with up to 10 staff needing to connect to the Internet. There is a choice of Pay As You Go or fixed-cost Premier options. Also comes with 360 minutes a month of anytime Broadband Phone calls*.

Business
The very best in business broadband. A top-quality connection that offers reliability around the clock with one great-value monthly payment. Also comes with 480 minutes a month of anytime Broadband Phone calls*.

Pay As You Go: Allows you to select the amount of pre-pay data transfer you require with the option to use more on a pay as you go basis if you need to. Pay As You Go is generally suitable if you're new to broadband or you know that you have low data transfer requirements. More about Pay As You Go

Premier: The most popular option and suitable for most businesses. Premier offers a fixed monthly payment with no charges for extra transfer, allowing you to budget more accurately and with less fuss.

* Included minutes can only be used to call 01 & 02 UK landline numbers.
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2. What contract options can I choose?
All business broadband products come with an annual contract.
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3. What hardware options are available?
You can buy one of our great hardware options when you sign up:

• USB modem/router - connect your network using this advanced modem (supports both USB and Ethernet connections).
  
• 4-port router - easy to set up, suitable for multi-system networking.
  
• Wireless router - flexible, easy to setup, no need for network cables.
  
• Wireless router desktop kit - router and 2 USB wireless adapters.
  
• Wireless router laptop + desktop kit - router, 1 laptop adapter and one USB wireless adapter.
  

Alternatively you can choose our 'Free Hardware' option. If you sign up for Teleworker or Small Business you can get a free USB modem/router. If you sign up for Business you can get a free 4-port router for advanced networking.

If you have your own hardware you can choose the 'No hardware' option, which means you don't pay for a modem or router that you don't need.
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4. How can I find out if broadband is available at my location?
Currently, close to 99% of telephone exchanges are broadband enabled. If you can't get broadband now, chances are you soon will be able to. You must have a BT telephone line to get PlusNet broadband.
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5. How can I pay for my broadband product?
You can pay by Direct Debit, credit card or by cheque. Payments can be made monthly, quarterly or annually.
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Business broadband Pay As You Go products

6. How do I know how much data transfer I have used?
Using the View My Broadband Usage tool at the Member Centre.
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7. Can I pay for extra data transfer if I need it?
Yes. If you have used your pre-pay data transfer amount then you can 'pay as you go' for any extra data transfer you need. The cost of extra data transfer depends on whether you add it to your product using pre-pay or simply use extra when you need to using 'pay as you go'.

Pre-pay data prices
- £1.50 per 2GB

Pay As You Go data prices
- £1.80 per 2GB

(Prices exclude VAT)

Save money with pre-pay: Extra 'pay as you go' data transfer is ideal if you occasionally need more than your pre-pay amount. However, if you regularly need more than your pre-pay amount you will save money by increasing your pre-pay amount or by changing to a Premier product.
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8. Can I restrict how much I spend on extra data transfer?
Yes. Use the Data Transfer Watch tool at the Member Centre. This allows you to set a maximum amount that you are willing to spend on extra data transfer each month.
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9. When will I be billed for any extra data transfer that I use?
That depends on how you choose to pay for your account.

Monthly payments
If you pay monthly, you will be billed for any additional data transfer with your monthly subscription payment.

Quarterly and annual payments
If you are not due to be billed in the month that you use extra data transfer, you will not pay for extra data transfer until your next subscription payment. The exception to this is if you use over £5 of extra data transfer (£10 if paying by cheque).

If you use this much extra data transfer, we will bill you for it on your next billing date - regardless of whether you are due to pay your subscription this month. Your billing date is the date on which you are normally billed - e.g. If you usually pay for your bill on the 14th each month, extra data transfer charges will also be taken on the 14th of the month in which you've used enough data transfer to warrant a payment.

This example should help explain how you pay for extra data transfer:

'Dave's Builders' pay annually for their Small Business product on March 15th by credit card. By July 1st 'Dave's Builders' have used over £5 of extra data transfer. 'Dave's Builders' will be billed for this extra data transfer on July 15th, even though their actual subscription payment is not due until March 15th.

We will email you with the details of any extra data transfer that you use and any costs, so there is no need to worry. Also, if you want to restrict your spending on additional data transfer you can use the Data Transfer Watch tool - Find out more about Data Transfer Watch in Question 8
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10. What happens to any data transfer that is unused at the end of the month?
It is not possible to carry over any unused pre-pay data transfer from your previous billing month. On each billing date your included amount is automatically reset to your standard level.
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11. What happens if someone else uses my data transfer, for example if my computer is infected with a virus that sends out information without my knowledge?
Keeping your computer or network secure remains your responsibility. To help keep you secure, business broadband products include anti-virus protection as standard. In addition, we recommend that you use a software or hardware firewall, along with anti-virus software on your computer.
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Upgrading from dial-up to broadband

12. What do I need to get started with broadband?
To get broadband you need to be in a broadband enabled area and have a suitable, BT telephone line. You will also need specific broadband hardware, which is available to buy when you sign up.
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13. How much data transfer am I using at the moment with my dial-up connection?
That depends on how you are using your connection but the following example should give you an indication:

If you were to download from the Internet for 2 hours a day, using a 56k modem, you would use approximately 1GB a month. If you are just using the Internet just to surf and email, you will use around 200MB in a month.
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Changing to PlusNet

14. Can I change to PlusNet from my existing broadband provider?
Yes. Contact your current provider and ask for your unique reference number, known as a 'MAC Key'.

Also ask them which product your service is based on. Once you have this information you can sign up to one of our broadband products.

Find out more about changing to PlusNet in the moving guide.
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15. How much does it cost to change to PlusNet broadband from another provider?
This is free.*

Please note; a fee of £14.99 is charged if you choose a PlusNet product based on a different speed or contention rate to your existing service. This covers the cost of regrading your BT phone line.

Please see our moving guide for more details.

* For a limited special offer period.
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Related Links
Teleworker product page
Small Business product page
Business product page

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