BET Broadband

In Scotland, the population per square mile is lower than any other part of the UK. This causes significant issues for broadband delivery as telephone exchanges often serve large geographical areas. Users on the periphery of the catchment area can often be too far from the exchange to receive a broadband service. In many parts of the UK, plans exist to replace the copper connectivity linking telephone exchange to street cabinet with fibre optic (known as fibre to the cabinet FTTC). Fibre optic doesn't lose signal strength with distance and users benefit from a stronger signal and therefore better broadband service. Unfortunately, FTTC is technically or commercially unviable in many parts of Scotland due to the difficulty in replacing existing underground copper with fibre as lack of ducting or challenging terrain would make the construction process incredibly difficult or costly.

Users in Scotland currently unable to receive a good broadband service are therefore left with the options of dial-up, 3G, satellite or bespoke radio networks. In general, these solutions exist as a last chance alternative to ADSL but ultimately all have technical restrictions or expense which makes them second best in real terms.

BET technology is the ideal solution to these problems for many people where funding can be found to cover the initial capital cost.

Broadband enabling technology (BET) is the product name for a new technology designed to address the problems of the non-availability or slow speed of broadband in rural areas.

The availability of ADSL broadband (conventional broadband delivered via a copper phone line) is ultimately restricted by the end users distance from their serving telephone exchange. Users whose line length exceeds approximately 5km may receive slow speed or no service.

In simple terms, BET technology amplifies the broadband signal as it travels along the user's phone line. By use of signal boosters located at the approximate mid-point of the phone line, the reach of standard ADSL broadband can be almost doubled.

In a partnership between Openreach and Scotnet, the BET solution was trialed at 13 telephone exchanges across the UK between September 2009 and September 2010 and has provided a stable 1Mb or 2Mb broadband service up to 12km from the telephone exchange.

The trial proved to be incredibly successful and the service has now become commercially available.

Due to the relatively high cost of equipment and engineering resource required to install BET, the financial deployment model is likely to require funding from Central Government, Local Government or a Local Enterprise Agency. Various Initiatives are underway across the UK to fund the roll-out of rural broadband solutions.

The installation costs for the BET service is £1095 plus vat.

Following successful deployment of the BET technology, each end user would enter into a commercial contract with Scotnet. This would be based on the following charging model:

Service Monthly data transfer limit Monthly rental
* 2Mb Residential 30Gb £18.00
* 2Mb Business 50Gb £30.00
Connection Charge £40.00
Additional transfer £0.50 Per Gb/month

*Speeds shown are the target for this service. Actual speed achieved will depend on phone line quality and distance from serving telephone exchange.

Order here.

Business packages include domain management, static IP addressing, website hosting and e-mail management. Residential packages include broadband access and e-mail. A monthly VAT invoice is provided with all business packages. All prices exclude VAT.

If you have any further questions regarding BET, please call 0333­ 370 1111 or e-mail sales@scotnet.co.uk.

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0333 370 1111